Olympics: US beach volleyball queens extend reign

Thursday 21 August 2008

BEIJING - US beach volleyball queens Kerri Walsh and Misty May-Treanor overcame a stern challenge from China's Wang Jie and Tian Jia to successfully defend their women's Olympic title on Thursday.

In heavy rain, the bikini-clad Americans won 21-18, 21-18 to stretch their winning streak to an astounding 108 matches without dropping a set in seven appearances here.

China made the early running but May-Treanor, 30, coolly reeled off three points in a row to create three first-set points before spiking the winner.

China briefly led midway in the second set before the US regained control with Walsh converting the first gold-medal point.

Earlier, Chen Xue and Zhang Xi claimed China's first Olympic beach volleyball medal with a 21-19, 21-17 victory over Renata Ribeiro and Talita Rocha of Brazil.

China's silver-bronze finish breaks the stranglehold held by Brazil, Australia and the United States, who between them had collected all the women's Olympic medals since the sport's introduction in 1996.

Silver-medallist Tian has epitomised China's steady rise after she finished 19th at Sydney 2000 and ninth in Athens four years ago.

May-Treanor also reached the 2000 quarter-finals with Holly McPeak. Thursday's scoreline was the closest faced by the US champions who defeated Brazilian challengers Ribeiro and Rocha in the semis.