Fokerots and Auziņš win U22 European gold, completing full set of youth titles

Latvian beach volleyball pair Kristians Fokerots and Gustavs Auziņš won gold at the U22 European Championship, defeating Lithuanian duo Povilas Piešina and Dovydas Sinkevičius in the final.

In the first set, the Latvians raced ahead early, with Auziņš excelling in defense. The Lithuanians, featuring the 209-centimeter-tall Piešina, stayed competitive and tied the score at 10:10, but Fokerots scored twice at the net to help the pair regain control. Latvia closed out the first set 21:18.

In the second set, the 194-centimeter-tall Fokerots stood out with several blocks against his taller Lithuanian opponent, allowing the Latvian pair to build a lead. Although the Lithuanians closed the gap late in the set, Fokerots sealed victory with another block and the match-winning point, finishing 21:19.

A complete career collection

For the 21-year-old Fokerots and Auziņš, this marked their fifth major joint title in youth competitions. They had previously won the U18 European, U20 European, U19 World and U21 World championships. With the U22 European gold, the pair now has a complete collection of youth-category titles across age groups.

On their way to the final, the Latvians beat opponents from Serbia, France, Italy, Finland and Norway in straight sets.

In the same tournament's women's competition, Latvian pair Līva Ēbere and Deniela Konstantinova, twice runners-up at the U20 European Championship, faced Dutch opponents in the final.