Schalk and Shaw upset Cuban Olympians on their way to the quarterfinals

COURTESY VOLLEYBALL WORLD: The Americans won two close sets to earn their fourth-straight victory and eliminate Alayo and Díaz.

Americans Chaim Schalk and James Shaw continue to make the most of their last-minute opportunity to compete at the 2025 FIVB Beach Volleyball World Championship, and, on Thursday, advanced to the tournament’s quarterfinals in Adelaide.

The two had a challenging Round of 16 matchup with Cuban Olympians Jorge Alayo and Noslen Díaz, but showed calm and quality in the decisive moments to win the match 2-0 (21-19, 22-22) and continue to progress in South Australia.

Partners for just over a year, the Americans originally weren’t among the 48 men’s teams qualified for the event, but, as the top-ranked team in the reserve list, were confirmed when Dutch Alexander Brouwer and Steven van de Velde withdrew. They had a difficult start, losing their first Pool I match in Adelaide, but they have since recovered and won four consecutive matches, culminating with the victory over the Cubans on Thursday.

In the quarterfinals, scheduled for Friday, at 13:30 local time (3:00 UTC), the Americans will face young Swedish Jacob Hölting Nilsson and Elmer Andersson, who made it into the top eight in their first World Championship appearance thanks to a 2-0 (21-16, 21-14) victory over Brazilians André Loyola and Renato Lima in the Round of 16.

Olympic champions also advance

Hölting Nilsson and Andersson, however, won’t be the only ones representing Sweden in the quarterfinals in Adelaide, as reigning Olympic champions David Åhman and Jonatan Hellvig also overcame the Round of 16 on Thursday. The Swedish clearly left their two pool play defeats behind and earned their third-straight elimination victory in Australia on Thursday, taking down French Rémi Bassereau and Calvin Aye 2-0 (21-17, 21-16) to continue their journey to return to the World Championship final after taking silver in Mexico two years ago.

The Europeans will now play Brazilian Olympians Evandro Gonçalves and Arthur Lanci, who earlier on Thursday prevailed 2-1 (22-24, 21-12, 15-13) over Swiss Marco Krattiger and Leo Dillier. The encounter is set to take place on Friday, at 19:00 local time (8:30 UTC).

Also making it to the quarterfinals on Thursday were Germans Sven Winter and Lukas Pfretzschner, who eliminated Norwegians Hendrik Mol and Mathias Berntsen with a 2-0 (25-23, 22-20) victory. They will now return to the court on Friday, at 16:30 local time (6:00 UTC), to play French Téo Rotar and Arnaud-Gauthier Rat, who eliminated Qatari Olympic medalists Cherif Younousse and Ahmed Tijan with a 2-1 (15-21, 21-16, 23-21) victory.

The four men’s quarterfinals will be held on Friday in Adelaide. The semifinals will follow on Saturday and the medal matches will end the event on Sunday.