Tauranga beach volleyballer Sam O'Dea, who won bronze at the 2018 Commonwealth Games, will be teaming up with Brad Fuller who grew up in Tauranga, for the men's beach volleyball competition at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.

The New Zealand Olympic Committee has named a men's and women's beach volleyball pairing for the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.

Alice Zeimann and Shaunna Polley have been named to the women's team, with the relatively new pairing of Sam O'Dea and Brad Fuller named to the men's.

Alice and Shaunna have been selected following successful international seasons with recent results including a first-place finish at the Cortegaca FIVB 1 Star in Portugal, and a fourth place finish at the 2021 Asian Championships.

Meanwhile Sam and Brad gained selection as the number one ranked men's side domestically. The pair teamed up prior to the 2021/22 domestic season and have already clocked up impressive results including first place at the 2022 Australian Tour Finals.

Sam won bronze with his brother Ben at the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games, where beach volleyball made its Commonwealth Games debut.

'The last Commonwealth Games were awesome,” says Sam.

'It was great to be a part of the wider team and to be in that environment and it's great to be going back for another one. We're stoked and we're really driven, we want to win, we're going there to perform and we can't wait.”

Shaunna also competed at Gold Coast 2018, dipping out in the quarter-finals alongside partner Kelsie Wills.

'It means a lot to me to get another chance to represent New Zealand at the Commonwealth Games,” says Shaunna.

'I'm really looking forward to getting to Birmingham and showing what we're capable of and hopefully we inspire some young Kiwis to get involved with beach volleyball as well.”

The pairings are both overseas, competing in Europe as they build up to the Commonwealth Games.

Volleyball NZ CEO Toni-Maree Carnie says they're delighted to have the teams confirmed for the Games.

'It's been a tough couple of years with no international competition so being able to finally get our teams back on the sand with some commendable results is what we have been working towards,” says Toni-Maree.

'Seeing beach volleyball included for the second time at the Commonwealth Games is fantastic for the sport and it will only lead to its further growth and development in New Zealand.”

NZOC CEO Nicki Nicol extended her congratulations to the athletes.

'Well done to the four athletes named today, we're thrilled to have you as part of the New Zealand Team,” says Nicki.

'It was fantastic to see our beach volleyball teams in action four years ago on the Gold Coast and we look forward to you adding to their legacy next month in Birmingham.”

Beach volleyball at Birmingham 2022 will be contested at the Smithfield Beach Volleyball Venue, with competition to begin on June 30th.

Ben O'Dea, Tom Reid and Olivia MacDonald have been named as reserves.

The naming takes the total number of athletes currently selected to the New Zealand Team for Birmingham 2022 to 99.

Sam O'Dea
Beach volleyballer Sam O'Dea won bronze alongside his brother Ben at the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games.
The brothers dominated the bronze medal match against England to earn the podium spot as beach volleyball debuted at the Games.
He is back for the Birmingham 2022 Games, pairing up with Brad Fuller.
O'Dea has enjoyed multiple successes on an international level, winning the Asian Championships in 2011 and the Oceania Championships in 2015, as well as holding the national championship title from 2010 to 2015.
O'Dea grew up in Tauranga where he started playing beach volleyball in 2004 at Otumoetai College. He continues to live and train in Tauranga.

Brad Fuller
Brad Fuller will make his Commonwealth Games debut at Birmingham 2022, teaming up with Sam O'Dea in the men's beach volleyball competition.
Fuller and O'Dea teamed up prior to the 2021/22 domestic season and have already clocked up impressive results including first place at the 2022 Australian Tour Finals.
Fuller grew up in Tauranga.

Alice Zeimann
Birmingham 2022 will be the first Commonwealth Games for Alice Zeimann who will compete alongside teammate Shaunna Polley.
The pairing were selected following successful international seasons with recent results including a first-place finish at the Cortegaca FIVB 1 Star in Portugal, and a fourth place finish at the 2021 Asian Championships.
The 6'0 outside hitter honed her craft in the US where she studied, graduating with a political science degree from Florida State University.
Zeimann grew up in Christchurch and began playing volleyball at Burnside High School.

Shaunna Polley
Shaunna Polley returns for her second Commonwealth Games after bowing out in the quarter-finals at Gold Coast 2018.
Polley will compete alongside teammate Alice Zeimann, with the pairing selected following successful international seasons with recent results including a first-place finish at the Cortegaca FIVB 1 Star in Portugal, and a fourth place finish at the 2021 Asian Championships.
Polley was born in Hamilton where she started playing beach volleyball in 2009, at 15 years old.
When she isn't training Polley enjoys any kind of outdoor activities.

About the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games

Birmingham 2022 will welcome 4,500 athletes from 72 nations and territories for 11 days of thrilling competition, from July 28 – August 8 2022.

The New Zealand Team will be represented by up to 230 athletes, competing in around 20 sports and three Para sports. Selections to the team will begin in early 2022, with women's T20 cricket and 3x3 basketball to debut on the programme.

Birmingham 2022 will bring the largest ever Commonwealth Games Para-programme to life, and will make global sport history by becoming the first ever major multi-sport event to award more medals to women than men.

The Games will be the largest sporting event in the UK since the London 2012 Olympic Games.