The road to the Paris Olympics begins in Ningbo's Xiangshan county as the 2024 AVC Beach Volleyball Continental Cup semi-finals and finals commence on June 17. [Photo/Lin Hai]

The 2024 AVC Beach Volleyball Continental Cup semi-finals and finals began at the Banbianshan Beach Volleyball Center in Ningbo's Xiangshan county on June 17, with athletes vying for a spot in the Paris Olympics.

Organized by the Asian Volleyball Confederation (AVC), the tournament has brought together 42 teams from 15 countries and regions, including China, Japan, New Zealand, Australia, Indonesia, and Thailand. The champions of both the men's and women's categories will earn direct entry into the Paris 2024 Olympics.

China's beach volleyball teams have a strong track record, with the women's team winning the Continental Cup in the Tokyo Olympic cycle and the men's team triumphing in the East Asian regional tournament in Nanjing last year. These achievements qualified both teams for the finals of this tournament. Teams that finished second in their regional tournaments must compete in the semi-finals for a chance to advance.

Despite the rainy conditions in Xiangshan on June 17, the matches were thrilling. The encounter between Kazakhstan's first team and Oman's first team was particularly gripping. Kazakhstan won the first set, Oman took the second, and in a tightly contested final set, Kazakhstan emerged victorious with a decisive spike, clinching the set 15-13.