The road to Los Angeles 2028 begins in Shangluo, China this September, with four New Zealand pairs set to take on the 2026 AVC Beach Volleyball Continental Championships.

Running from 2–6 September, the tournament brings together the leading beach volleyball teams from across Asia and Oceania and represents a major milestone on the road to the LA28 Olympic Games. The Continental Championships form part of the Olympic qualification pathway, with a quota place available for the top eligible team in each gender.

New Zealand will be represented by four pairs across the women’s and men’s competitions, combining established international experience with some of the country’s emerging beach volleyball talent.

Beach Ferns ready to make their mark

Leading the women’s campaign are Olivia MacDonald and Shaunna Polley, who head into Shangluo with strong international form and plenty of experience behind them.

The pair have continued to establish themselves as one of New Zealand’s leading beach volleyball combinations, with a number of strong results across the international circuit.

Their 2025 season saw them claim gold at the AVC Beach Tour Phu Yen Open and the Beach Pro Tour Futures in Nuvali, alongside strong Beach Pro Tour results including fourth place in Veracruz and fifth place in Nuvali. The pair also made history at the 2025 FIVB Beach Volleyball World Championships in Adelaide, becoming the first New Zealand women’s team to compete at the World Championships since 2001 coming away 17th. 

That form has continued into 2026.

The Beach Ferns claimed silver at the Mount Maunganui Futures, their second Beach Pro Tour medal as a pair, before continuing their campaign on the AVC Beach Tour.

They have also picked up wins against some of the region’s strongest teams, including a recent AVC Beach Tour gold medal where they battled through several tight matches, including a 19–17 third-set victory in the final.

The pair head into Shangluo ranked second in the tournament behind Japan’s Reika and Shiba.

Their preparation has included a training and competition block in the United States, giving them the opportunity to test themselves against strong opposition before arriving in China.

For MacDonald and Polley, Shangluo is another opportunity to build on the progress they have made over the past two seasons, with the added significance of an Olympic quota place on the line.

They will be joined in the women’s draw by Meile Green and Grace Tiplady, who enter the competition as the 10th seed.

The young duo have shown plenty of promise throughout the season, gaining experience on the AVC Beach Tour while also making their mark on the New Zealand domestic circuit.

Tiplady finished the New Zealand Beach Tour as the overall Tour Champion, while Green collected a number of medal finishes throughout the domestic season.

The pair now have another opportunity to test themselves against the best teams in Asia and Oceania as they continue to build their international experience.

Beach Blacks Come Back

On the men’s side, the Beach Blacks, Ben and Sam O’Dea, will headline New Zealand’s campaign.

The experienced brothers bring a wealth of international experience to Shangluo and will be looking to put themselves in contention against the best teams Asia and Oceania have to offer. Some may even say this is the brothers come back season. 

Alongside them will be Juraj and Noah, a new combination who have made an impressive start to their partnership.

Although still developing as a pair, both athletes have enjoyed strong seasons individually and have already shown what they can produce together. They have successfully battled through qualification into several main draws on the recent AVC Beach Tour, gaining valuable experience against international opposition.

Most recently, the pair qualified through to the main draw at the Qidong Futures, continuing a run of performances that has seen their confidence and consistency grow throughout the season.

They enter Shangluo as the 12th seed, giving them an excellent opportunity to test their new partnership against some of the region’s leading teams.

One tournament. One Olympic opportunity.

For all four New Zealand pairs, Shangluo is about more than another tournament.

With the LA28 Olympic qualification process now underway, the Continental Championships provide a significant opportunity to take a step towards the ultimate goal of representing Aotearoa on the Olympic stage.

The LA28 qualification system will see 24 men’s and 24 women’s teams compete in the Olympic beach volleyball tournament, with continental qualification forming one of the key pathways to Los Angeles.

For New Zealand, the opportunity is significant.

The Beach Ferns and Beach Blacks bring experience and proven international performances, while Green and Tiplady and Juraj and Noah represent the next generation of New Zealand beach volleyball athletes making their mark on the international circuit.

Four teams. Two genders. One major tournament.

And with an Olympic opportunity on the line, the road to LA28 begins in Shangluo.

Article added: Monday 24 August 2026