1st-Time Gold Medalists Kusano/Nishibori, Karpa/Sievers Win in Manila

Manila One-Star

• May 3-6, 2018
• Manila, Philippines
• Schedule/Results

First time gold medalists were the order of the day at the Manila One-Star.

No. 2 seed Ayumi Kusano/Takemi Nishibori of Japan won five straight matches to earn their first FIVB gold in just their fifth tournament as a pairing. The duo bested Spain’s Maria Carro/Paula Soria in straight sets to clinch the title.

Kusano/Nishibori reached the final with a straight set win over countrywomen Sakurako Fujii/Shinako Tanaka in the semifinals. Carro/Soria downed Paraguay’s Erika Bobadilla/Michelle Valiente in the semis.

Bobadilla/Valiente went on to take bronze, marking their first World Tour medal since teaming up in 2016.

On the men’s side, Germany’s Max-Jonas Karpa/Milan Sievers topped Russia’s Petr Bakhnar/Taras Myskiv for the second time in three days, winning in three sets to claim their first ever FIVB gold.

The Russians meanwhile snagged their second straight silver after finishing as the runner-up at the Langkawi One Star last week.

Karpa/Sievers downed Switzerland’s Gabriel Kissling/Michiel Zandbergen in straight sets in the semis, while Bakhnar/Myskiv survived a three-set affair against Alejandro Huerta/Javier Huerta to make the championship match.

Kissling/Zandbergen secured the bronze with a tiebreak win in three deuce sets.

Women’s Gold

Ayumi Kusano/Takemi Nishibori (Japan) def. Maria Carro/Paula Soria (Spain) 21-14, 21-18

Women’s Bronze

Erika Bobadilla/Michelle Valiente (Paraguay) def. Sakurako Fujii/Shinako Tanaka (Japan) 21-17, 21-16

Women’s Semifinals

Ayumi Kusano/Takemi Nishibori (Japan) def. Sakurako Fujii/Shinako Tanaka (Japan) 21-13, 21-16

Maria Carro/Paula Soria (Spain) def. Erika Bobadilla/Michelle Valiente (Paraguay) 21-16, 21-15

Men’s Gold

Max-Jonas Karpa/Milan Sievers (Germany) def. Petr Bakhnar/Taras Myskiv (Russia) 15-21, 23-21, 15-9

Men’s Bronze

Gabriel Kissling/Michiel Zandbergen (Switzerland) def. Alejandro Huerta/Javier Huerta (Spain) 22-20, 19-21, 15-13

Men’s Semifinals

Petr Bakhnar/Taras Myskiv (Russia) def. Alejandro Huerta/Javier Huerta (Spain) 21-18, 17-21, 20-18

Max-Jonas Karpa/Milan Sievers (Germany) def. Gabriel Kissling/Michiel Zandbergen (Switzerland) 21-17, 21-16

Manila men’s results