MANILA — Alas Pilipinas beach volleyball stars Cherry Rondina and Bernadeth Pons will be recognized as Asia’s most popular beach volleyball duo after topping the public voting for the Fans’ Choice Beach Volleyball Award, one of the featured honors at the inaugural Asian Volleyball Confederation (AVC) Gala in Bangkok.
The Filipino tandem amassed 43,905 fan votes to secure the award, which will be presented during the AVC Gala on Aug. 8. The recognition will be conferred by the City of Candon through Mayor Eric Singson.
Their victory underscores the pair’s strong following across Asia and highlights the growing popularity of Philippine beach volleyball on the continental stage.
The inaugural AVC Gala will honor athletes, coaches, referees and other personalities who made significant contributions to Asian volleyball during the 2025 season.
“The AVC Gala was created to celebrate Asian volleyball excellence and to honor the individuals whose talent, dedication, and achievements continue to inspire millions throughout our continent,” AVC President Ramon “Tats” Suzara said.
“The nearly 400,000 votes cast by fans demonstrate the incredible passion that exists for volleyball across Asia, and we are proud to establish a new tradition that recognizes the very best of our sport.”
Suzara said the awards combine the judgment of volleyball experts with the support of fans across the continent.
“We are excited to welcome our winners to the 1st AVC Gala Awards Night this August in Bangkok, where Asia’s volleyball family will come together to celebrate their remarkable achievements and the continued growth of our sport,” Suzara said.
“Volleyball has always been a sport driven by its community, and our fans remain at the heart of its continued success. By combining the expertise of the AVC Committee with the voices of our supporters, the AVC Gala not only recognizes excellence but also celebrates the strong bond between our athletes and the fans who inspire them every step of the way.”
Japanese standouts Yuki Ishikawa and Mayu Ishikawa were named Outstanding Men’s Volleyball Player and Outstanding Women’s Volleyball Player, respectively.
Qatar’s Cherif Younousse and Ahmed Tijan earned the Outstanding Men’s Beach Volleyball Players award, while Japan’s Asami Shiba and Reika Murakami were recognized as Outstanding Women’s Beach Volleyball Players.
Japan women’s national team coach Ferhat Akbaş will receive the Volleyball Coach of the Year award, while Kazakhstan’s Yuliya Akulova and China’s Wang Lijun were named Volleyball Referee of the Year and Beach Volleyball Referee of the Year, respectively.
The Outstanding Player, Coach of the Year and Referee of the Year awardees were selected through a voting process consisting of 70 percent AVC Committee votes and 30 percent public votes.
Chinese volleyball icon Zhu Ting captured the Fans’ Choice Volleyball Award after garnering 42,996 public votes.
The AVC will also confer its Lifetime Achievement Award on Jizhong Wei in recognition of his long-standing contributions to the development of volleyball in Asia./PN
