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TOKYO – April Ross now holds the full set of Olympic beach volleyball medals: silver in London, bronze in Rio de Janeiro and a gold medal she won with Alix Klineman at the Tokyo Games on Friday with a victory over Australia.
The Americans defeated Mariafe Artacho del Solar and Taliqua Clancy of Australia 21-15, 21-16 under the scorching sun in a match that thankfully was quick for the biggest crowd at Shiokaze Park – around 60 people in the temporary stadium. that can accommodate 9,600 people. .
Playing in temperatures of 92 degrees Fahrenheit (33 Celsius) under the hot Tokyo sun, the Americans finished the Australians in 43 minutes.
In the bronze medal match earlier on Friday, Switzerland’s Joana Heidrich and Anouk Verge-Depre claimed a straight-set victory over Latvia.
The silver for Australia was their first beach volleyball medal since Natalie Cook and Kerri Pottharst won gold at Bondi Beach in 2000. But they have never been very close against the Americans, who finished in tied for first place in the Olympic qualifying points race and lost only one. put in seven matches in Tokyo.
With side changes every seven points and technical time outs every 14, the players retreated to benches, where an awning was rolled over their heads for shade. A towel covered the seat so that they did not stick to the hot cushion; support staff put ice packs on their heads or wrapped them in damp towels.
And then there was the hydration. So much hydration. First-time Olympian Klineman and Ross, who won three medals in as many trips to the Summer Games, needed just 20 minutes to win the first set.
They fell 2-0 in the second before scoring 10 straight points to walk away. This silenced the chants of “Aussie!” Aussie! Aussie! Oi! Oi! Oi! From the Australians in their bright yellow shirts and drew cheers from the “USA!” Of those in red, white and blue.
Australia survived three league points before Artacho del Solar served in the net to seal the victory for the United States. After a long hug, Klineman walked over to the bench to douse themselves with water, then the couple walked over to the stands and posed with an American flag.
The Swiss clinched a straight-set victory over Latvia to claim their country’s first Olympic medal in women’s history on the beach. They edged Tina Graudina and Anastasija Kravcenoka 21-19 in the first set before opening a 5-1 lead in the second and moving away to win 21-15.
Graudina was the first person to compete in the Olympics after competing in an NCAA beach volleyball program that began in 2012. She played in Southern California, where she was the 2019 National Player of the Year. and led the Trojans to the 2021 National Championship.
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