Australian beach volleyball pairing Taliqua Clancy and Louise Bawden knocked out of Rio by US

TALIQUA Clancy and Louise Bawden have gone down fighting to gold medal favourites the US, beaten in the quarterfinals of the women’s beach volleyball tournament in Rio.

Australia's Taliqua Clancy and Louise Bawden have bowed out of the beach volleyball. Picture: AFP

TALIQUA Clancy and Louise Bawden have gone down fighting to gold medal favourites the US, beaten in the quarterfinals of the women’s beach volleyball tournament in Rio.

Despite being eliminated in straight sets 2-0, Clancy and Bawden have produced Australia’s best finish in beach volleyball at an Olympic games since Sydney 2000 when Natalie Cook and Kerri Pottharst won gold.

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Cheered on by Kevin Durant and basketball’s US Dream Team, Olympic heavyweights April Ross and Kerri Walsh Jennings were forced to pull out all stops to overcome the dogged Aussie pair.

Giving away age and experience, Clancy and Bawden produced some brilliant volleyball to test the heavy-hitting Americans.

United States' Kerri Walsh Jennings and April Ross celebrate after beating Australia's Taliqua Clancy, 2nd left, and Louise Bawden after their women's beach volleyball quarterfinal. Picture: AP

However, through sheer power and precision, the US wore the Aussies down to move into the semi-finals 21-14, 21-16.

Between them, Ross and Jennings have three gold and one silver medal between them. Yet that hardly fazed Clancy, who in her debut Olympics sent down a series of pinpoint serves.

Clancy, a genuine star and Australia’s first indigenous beach volleyball player, has formed a formidable relationship with the experienced Bawden.

They depart the Rio games undoubtedly stronger after their best performance as a partnership.

Originally published as Australian beach volleyball pairing Taliqua Clancy and Louise Bawden knocked out of Rio by US