Aussies Clancy, Bawden win Olympic beach volleyball opener as the Brazilians turn Rio stadium into world’s biggest beach party

AUSSIE pair Taliqua Clancy and Louise Bawden have won their Olympic beach volleyball opener on day one as Rio locals turn the event into a huge beach party.

The beach volleyball stadium is party central in Rio. Picture: AFP

FIVE weeks ago, not a single seat inside the world’s greatest beach volleyball stadium had been screwed down.

As the rest of the world gasped in shock, the Cariocas – locals – puffed out their chest.

Who sits down at a party anyway?

On day one of the Rio Olympics, we learned that 12,000 Brazilians don’t need seats to have a good time on Copacabana Beach.

Taliqua Clancy gives it her all in leading the Aussies to victory in their first beach volleyball contest in Rio. Picture: Getty Images

With drums beating and music thumping, they danced, sang and sambaed in the stands between every winning-spike, smash and serve.

Not even the threat of fuzzy eyes and dry mouths, following the drawn-out Games opening ceremony, could delay lift-off for the biggest beach party in the world.

The most practised sport by young girls in the country, beach volleyball is also one of the few sports broadcast regularly by free-to-air TV stations.

In Rio, beach volleyball celebrates 20-years as an Olympic sport.

Bondi at the Sydney 2000 Games has long-held the baton for the best beach volleyball location at a games, but not anymore. The hundred-metre lines to enter the stadium is proof it’s the hottest ticket in Rio.

And once inside, it’s easy to appreciate why it was the fast-selling ticket of any sport at these games.

Chugging down beers with shirts off and stamping their feet to ‘We Will Rock You’, the locals even stood to swivel their hips to Colin Hay’s ‘Down Under’.

Taliqua Clancy and Louise Bawden celebrate their win over Costa Rica on the first day of beach volleyball competition in Rio. Picture: AFP

The latter may as well have been on repeat as Australian’s Taliqua Clancy and Louise Bawden cruised through their opening pool match.

Their match against Costa Rica was played immediately after the Brazilians had the party rocking.

“There was definitely a loud cheer at the back end of that match (when we came out),’’ Bawden said.

“We thought that they were super excited to see us.’’

Later, the team of Nikki Laird and Mariafe Artacho del Solar were no match for a polished Team USA outfit, going down 21-14, 21-12.

Originally published as Aussies Clancy, Bawden win Olympic beach volleyball opener as the Brazilians turn Rio stadium into world’s biggest beach party