Zoe Paniagua and Yerelín Reyes Open Dominican Campaign at Dakar 2026 With Win
They came back in the deciding set to beat Malaysia 2-1 in beach volleyball at the Youth Olympic Games.
Key points
- Zoe Paniagua and Yerelín Reyes beat Malaysia 2-1, with sets of 21-18, 20-22 and 18-16.
- It was the Dominican Republic's first win at Dakar 2026.
- Paniagua and Reyes are the first Dominican women to compete in beach volleyball at a Youth Olympic Games.
- Paniagua scored 24 points and Reyes 13, for 37 attacking points in total.
The Dominican Republic opened its Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games campaign with a victory. Zoe Paniagua and Yerelín Reyes defeated Malaysia's Yu Heng Goh and Yi Jing Ong 2-1 in women's beach volleyball at Saly Oeste beach, in Group F.
The match was decided in the third set. The Dominicans lost the second set 22-20 and, in the third, fell behind 1-5. They then tied it at 16-16 and closed the set 18-16, thanks to a standout defensive effort by Reyes, who saved several balls near the baseline, along with service errors by the Malaysians.
In the first set, the Dominicans won 21-18 after starting with a 3-1 lead. Malaysia reached 8-5 before the score was tied at 8-8.
According to Diario Libre, the win carries historic significance: Paniagua and Reyes are the first representatives of the country to compete in beach volleyball at a Youth Olympic Games. The Dominican pair scored 37 attacking points, 24 from Paniagua and 13 from Reyes. For Malaysia, Yi Jing Ong scored 18 and Yu Heng Goh 13.