Tournament favorites Ana Patricia/Duda of Brazil defeated Canada’s Brandie Wilkerson/Melissa Humana-Paredes in three sets (26-24,12-21, 15-10), winning the country’s first women’s beach volleyball gold medal since 1996.
Wilkerson/Humana-Paredes gave Ana Patricia/Duda all they could handle in the first women’s beach volleyball gold medal final to ever reach three sets.
The Canadians shocked Brazil with a 6-0 run to jump out to an 8-2 lead. But the world No. 1-ranked Ana Patricia/Duda clawed back with a 6-1 run, taking an 18-17 lead and winning the first set.
Wilkerson out-played Ana Patricia in a battle of the blockers to start the first set before the 6-foot-4 Brazilian found her second wind.
Canada bounced right back in the second set, making a 4-0 run to take a 13-10 lead followed by a 5-0 run to go up 18-11. Wilkerson/Humana-Paredes coasted to take the second set by nine points.
The third set was as heated as any in the entire women’s tournament, with tempers flaring between Wilkerson and Ana Patricia. Officials had to separate the two players as Eiffel Tower Stadium buzzed with excitement before cooler heads prevailed.
Brazil was able to wear out Canada and win the third set, capturing the gold medal that has eluded the country since 1996 — the first year beach volleyball became an official Olympic sport.
Wilkerson/Humana-Paredes are the second beach volleyball team from the “lucky loser” bracket to win silver, the first being Italy’s Paolo Nicolai/Daniele Lupo in 2016. The two are the first Canadian women’s beach volleyball team to ever win a medal at the Olympic Games.
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