Cubans Leila and Mailen claim historic victory

AYDIN, Turkey, May 20, 2018 – Leila Martinez and Mailen Deliz became the first Cuban women’s pair to win gold on the FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour. On Sunday, they scored two straight-set wins to reach the top of the podium at the Aydin one-star event in Turkey. This is the first medal for either of the two players on the Tour.

The second place went to top-seeded Ksenia Dabizha and Daria Mastikova. Martinez and Deliz were always a step ahead in the final against sealing a 2-0 (21-18, 21-16) victory.

In an all-Swedish third place match, twins Kristina Thurin and Susanna Thurin claimed their country’s first ever medal on the World Tour for either gender with a 2-1 (18-21, 26-24, 15-11) victory over Tadva Yoken and Sigrid Simonsson.

“We are very happy with this victory and we obviously feel good,” Mailen Deliz said. “We loved both the crowd and the city. We will be doing our best in the next international tournament that we are due to contest in Russia.”