For years, Sisi Rondina and Bernadeth Pons have carried Philippine beach volleyball on their shoulders. Now, the rest of Asia is giving the Alas Pilipinas tandem its stamp of approval.
The decorated pair will be honored with the Fans’ Choice Beach Volleyball Award at the inaugural Asian Volleyball Confederation (AVC) Gala after emerging as the overwhelming favorites in the public voting.
Rondina and Pons collected 43,905 votes, the highest among the beach volleyball fan nominees, earning a place among Asia’s volleyball elite during the awards night on August 8 in Bangkok. The award will be presented by the City of Candon through Mayor Eric Singson.
Their recognition comes as the AVC launches its first-ever gala, an event designed to celebrate the athletes, coaches, officials, and personalities who helped shape Asian volleyball throughout 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,” said AVC President Ramon “Tats” Suzara.
“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.”
The award serves as another milestone for Rondina and Pons, whose partnership has become one of the Philippines’ most recognizable in beach volleyball. Their victory in the fan poll also highlighted the strong support they continue to receive not only from Filipino fans but from volleyball followers across the region.
Suzara believes the inaugural gala represents more than just an awards ceremony, describing it as a celebration of both excellence and the people who continue to fuel the sport’s growth.
“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.
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“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.”
While the Filipinas captured the fan-voted beach volleyball honor, several of Asia’s biggest names will also headline the inaugural ceremony.
Japanese siblings Yuki Ishikawa and Mayu Ishikawa will receive the Outstanding Men’s Volleyball Player and Outstanding Women’s Volleyball Player awards, respectively.
Qatar’s beach volleyball duo of Cherif Younousse and Ahmed Tijan will be recognized as the Outstanding Men’s Beach Volleyball Players after another impressive international campaign, while Japan’s Asami Shiba and Reika Murakami will take home the Outstanding Women’s Beach Volleyball Players award.
Japan women’s national team head coach Ferhat Akbaş will be honored as Volleyball Coach of the Year, while Kazakhstan’s Yuliya Akulova and China’s Wang Lijun will receive the Volleyball Referee of the Year and Beach Volleyball Referee of the Year awards.
The major individual awards were determined through a combined voting system consisting of 70 percent AVC Committee votes and 30 percent public votes, blending technical evaluation with fan participation.
Chinese volleyball icon Zhu Ting claimed the Fans’ Choice Volleyball Award after receiving 42,996 public votes, while Jizhong Wei will be presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award for his decades of service and lasting contributions to the development of volleyball across Asia.
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