Noslen Díaz and Jorge Luis Alayo obtain 600 points and a better position in the world ranking.
14ymedio, Havana, 14 June 2025 — Cuban beach volleyball players Noslen Díaz and Jorge Luis Alayo won the gold medal in the Moscow Open tournament, corresponding to the Russian Beach Volleyball Circuit 2025. This Sunday’s victory against Oleg Stoyanovski and Ilya Leshukov also guaranteed the Cuban athletes a prize of 150,000 rubles ($1,920).
“This is the second Russian League title, in addition to that of Kazan last year. Added to the gold of the Russian Cup and the Sirius Tournament, the Cubans earned four in a country that has treated them very well and has been key to the growth of both as athletes,” reported the digital sports media All in 1 Deportes on Facebook.
The sports evolution of Díaz and Alayo confirm that they are considered the “new hope of Cuba,” according to the specialized portal Olympics, after Idalys Ortiz (judo) and Mijaín López (wrestling) announced their retirements at the Paris 2024 Olympics. Their results “have put them in the sights of Cuban fans, who are in the process of searching for new idols,” highlighted the report.
The sports evolution of Díaz and Alayo confirmed that they are the “new hope of Cuba,” according to the specialized portal Olympics after Idalys Ortiz (judo) and Mijaín López (wrestling) announced their retirements.
Under the guidance of Francisco Álvarez Cutiño, Díaz and Alayo won in the first set, 21-11. However, Stoyanovski and Leshukov rallied and beat the Cubans in the second set, 21-16. The definitive set was won by the Cubans, 15-12, which, according to official media, reaffirmed them as one of “the best pairings in the world.”
Prior to the event, Díaz and Alayo were ranked 22nd in the world after finishing ninth at the Elite 16 tournament in Gstaad, Switzerland, part of the 2025 Beach Pro Tour. With the victory in Russia, the Cuban volleyball players obtained 600 points for a total of 3,940. At the top of the list are Norway (8,560), followed by Argentina (6,520) and the Netherlands (5,920).
“The Olympians had their best performance in that period, achieving first place in the Elite 16 of Quintana Roo, where they earned 1,200 points,” highlighted Granma, while recognizing that they “need to continue competing in competitions that deliver points and, for the moment, participate in the Russian tournament and then rejoin the world circuit in the Elite 16 in Hamburg, Germany, scheduled to take place this August 27 to 31.”
There are also international events such as the World Championships in Adelaide, Australia, on November 14 to 23; the Central American and Caribbean Games in Santo Domingo 2026; the Pan American Games in Lima 2027; and the Olympic Games in Los Angeles 2028. For this last one, the Cuban government accepts that if the US government maintains its refusal to grant visas, “they simply will not go and will do other things.”
The absence of Cuba in Los Angeles 2028 will truncate the rhythm of the Cuban duo’s process after winning second place at the Pan American Games Santiago 2023 and generating expectations in Paris 2024.
Translated by Regina Anavy
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