Australia fall short of record gold in beach volleyball final

From the first point, where a spike from the Americans hit the base line, to the last over-hit serve, the dream was never going to quite come true for Australia’s women’s beach volleyballers in their gold medal match.

Mariafe Artacho del Solar and Taliqua Clancy face-masked their emotions after the final, won 21-15, 21-16 by the USA’s April Ross and Alix Klineman. “April and Alix played an incredible game and we knew that they were going to,” Clancy said. “April is a very experienced athlete, this is her third grand final, so we knew that we had to bring our best and we fought.”

Clancy had no explanation for why they couldn’t bring the level of play they had produced earlier in the tournament. The Australian pair were off the superlative form they had shown in defeating world No.1 Canada and Latvia on their way to the final.

Amid short rallies in the midday heat, errors slipped into their game, and the USA were often able to anticipate the Australians’ next move. The USA dominated the first set, and while Australia went to an early lead in the second, the Americans were soon in charge again with their mix of agility and desperation.

Perhaps it was also down to experience. Ross, at 39, was playing in her third Olympic Games, while the towering Klineman, 31, was an intimidating presence close to the net.

“I’m still trying to process it but I’m so in the present moment here with this team and this medal,” said Ross, who had won a silver medal in London and bronze in Rio de Janeiro, each time with different partners.

Mariafe Artacho del Solar during the gold medal match.Credit: Getty

“I’m so proud of my other ones but just how this worked out… It’s kind of a fairytale story like, ‘Oh, I’m going at 39 to try and get my gold medal’, and the fact that it actually happened feels so special and surreal. I’m just so proud of our team and so grateful for everyone who helped us get here.”

In defeat, the Australians were determined to see the bright side, which was their entitlement after a silver medal, Australia’s first in the sport since the Sydney Olympic Games in 2000. “It’s a mix of emotions,” Artacho del Solar said.

“It’s meant so much to us in such a short time together, we’ve accomplished so much ... Regardless of the results, I’m just super proud of our team and not just that game, but this whole campaign.”

Clancy said her tears on the podium were “happy tears”. “It’s definitely not the colour we wanted but I think after this stops stinging we’ll really appreciate this moment more ... This is a moment that just won’t happen once, we’ll be back there.”

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