Beach volleyball playing for a Commonwealth Games future

More than gold medals were on the line in beach volleyball on the Gold Coast, with the sport playing for its Commonwealth Games future.

Volleyball Australia bankrolled the event to secure a spot on the program for the Gold Coast event, where it has been a popular and perfect fit for the games.

Volleyball Australia President Craig Carracher said his organization had funded the increased number of athletes attending the seven-day, 12-nation beach volleyball competition.

As far as he's aware, that's unprecedented. But Carracher is thinking of the future, already trying to keep the sport on the program when the games are staged in Birmingham, England in 2022.

"Our legacy is for our sport to be included in Birmingham and for the athletes to be able to start preparing now for those games," Carracher said.

In order to convince organizers in Birmingham, Carracher also offered his organization's services for 2022.

He said Volleyball Australia had seconded its staff to the Gold Coast organizing committee from sports management and technical delivery to the head of referees "and all of us will provide whatever Birmingham needs to include our sport in their program."
"The smaller nations have also responded because they can invest in two athletes rather than a whole team which is why we're seeing the likes of Rawanda and Cyprus coming through."