Tokyo Olympics: Australian pair stun world champions to reach beach volleyball semifinals

The beach volleyball champions were left in a “state of shock” after losing to Australians Taliqua Clancy and Mariafe Artacho del Solar.

Australians Mariafe Artacho del Solar and Taliqua Clancy scored a shock upset win over Canada in the quarterfinals. Picture: Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images

Australian beach volleyballers Taliqua Clancy and Mariafe Artacho del Solar have beaten the reigning world champions to secure a place in the Olympic semifinals.

The pair’s Canadian opponents in Tuesday night’s quarterfinal, Sarah Pavan and Melissa Humana-Paredes, won gold at the 2019 World Championships and went into the Tokyo competition as top seeds.

Before facing Australia, the Canadians hadn’t dropped a set all tournament.

That spotless record was quickly sullied as Clancy and Artacho del Solar took the first set 21-15. Pavan and Humana-Paredes battled back, winning the second 21-19, but they never led in the decider, which Australia won 15-12.

Mariafe Artacho del Solar and Taliqua Clancy embrace Sarah Pavan and Melissa Humana-Paredes. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)

The Canadians’ frustration was evident as their hopes slipped away in that final set. One moment, when both women went to hit the same serve – gifting Australia a point – led to a tense exchange between the duo.

Clancy and Artacho del Solar, the world’s fifth-ranked team, will be favourites in their semifinal against 15th-seeded Latvian pair Tina Graudina and Anastasija Kravcenoka, who have never won an event on the world tour.

They’re the first Australians to reach an Olympic semifinal since the Athens Olympics in 2004, and are hoping to win our first beach volleyball medal since Sydney in 2000, when Natalie Cook and Kerri Pottharst famously won gold.

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Mariafe Artacho del Solar dives for a ball. Picture: Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images

A moment of confusion in the third set, as Pavan and Humana-Paredes both went for the same serve. Picture: Daniel Leal-Olivas/AFP

Artacho del Solar was pumped after winning match point. Picture: Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images

The Australian pair celebrate. Picture: Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images

Speaking after the victory, Artacho del Solar said she and Clancy “knew it was going to be a gold medal type of match”.

“It was disappointing we went up against the (Canadian) girls in such an early stage of the tournament,” she said.

“It was tough that we had to face Mel and Sarah this early, but it’s such a great opportunity.

“We have been working so hard for this moment.”

The moment was, perhaps, even sweeter because they lost to Pavan and Humana-Paredes in the 2018 Commonwealth Games final on the Gold Coast.

Graudina and Kravcenoka also made it to the semifinals with an upset win over Canada, beating Brandie Wilkerson and Heather Bansley earlier in the evening.

The United States and Switzerland will meet in the other semifinal.

Humana-Paredes and Artacho del Solar speak after the match. Picture: Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images

Canadian media said the losing pair were “in a state of shock”. Picture: Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images

Canadian broadcaster CBC said Pavan and Humana-Paredes “stilled seemed to be in a state of shock” when they spoke to reporters 15 minutes after their defeat.

“They showed up, and we did not play to the level that we know we can play to,” Humana-Paredes said.

“I think it will take weeks, months maybe to make sense of it.

“It just didn’t show up on the court and I don’t know why.”

“We were always kind of playing catch-up, whereas they were on the offensive from the service line and kept us back. That was the difference,” said Pavan, whose eyes were reportedly welling up with tears.

The Australians are scheduled to play their semifinal on Wednesday night.

Originally published as Tokyo Olympics: Australian pair stun world champions to reach beach volleyball semifinals