American beach volleyball player Ross and Klineman beat Australia for gold

TOKYO, Aug.6 (Reuters) – April Ross and Alix Klineman won the United States’ first Olympic gold in women’s beach volleyball since 2012 on Friday, beating Australia’s Mariafe Artacho del Solar and Taliqua Clancy at the Tokyo Games , with temperatures on the sand court up to 45 ° C (113 ° F).

With chants of “USA” from 20 team members of the administrative staff cheering them on in an otherwise empty arena, the American duo started strong and made it through the game 21-13, 21-15 under a scorching sun, with Temperatures off court up to 32 ° C (90 ° F) and on sandy ground 45 ° C (113 ° F).

“It meant a lot to hear our delegation start singing. It’s a lot more personal, but we still felt the gravity of the situation in the game and the magnitude,” said Ross.

Asked about the fourth gold for the US women’s team, Ross said: “I have thought about the tradition and it means a lot to keep it going.”

The final disappointment for Australia was a serve in the net which gave Klineman and Ross the winning point, prompting the American pair to replace their gentle hovering hugs that followed each score with a deep hug.

Swiss duo Anouk Verge-Depre and Joana Heidrich won the bronze medal after beating Latvians Tina Graudina and Anastasija Kravcenoka 21-19 21-15 earlier today.

About ten officials from the Olympic federations from each country were on hand to encourage their teams on the shaded court set up in Shiokaze Park next to Tokyo Bay.

Latvia gave their supporters cause for hope by scoring three points behind, but it was the doctors, psychologists and other Swiss delegates who finally celebrated.

Heidrich admired them after the victory, shouted in front of a camera, then jumped onto a railing to hug his supporters.

Bronze marks Switzerland’s first in the women’s Olympic event. The country won a bronze medal in men in 2004.

The home of beach volleyball, the United States, and Brazil have dominated the medals since it became an Olympic sport in 1996 – together, accounting for nine of 12 gold medals in both men’s and women’s events. 2020 Games.

Brazil were eliminated earlier in the women’s tournament.

Reporting by Tetsushi Kajimoto; Editing by Peter Rutherford, Himani Sarkar and Michael Perry

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