TOKYO – Australia’s Mariafe Artacho del Solar and Taliqua Clancy beat Latvia’s Tina Graudina and Anastasija Kravcenoka 23-21 21-13 in the women’s beach volleyball semi-finals, assuring the country’s first Olympic medal from the sport since 2000.
The Australian duo will face Americans April Ross and partner Alix Klineman in the championship match, meaning Australia will go home with no less than a silver medal.
For Artacho del Solar, playing for the gold is a dream come true, as she grew up hoping to emulate her countrywoman and childhood hero, Sydney Olympics 400-meter gold-medallist Catherine Freeman.
“My journey started from watching Cathy Freeman at the Sydney Olympics as an eight year old, that was me,” Artacho del Solar said according to Reuters.
“The future was to become an Olympic athlete. This is where my dream started by watching them.”
Since beach volleyball became an Olympic sport in Atlanta, Australia has only won one bronze in 1996 and one gold in 2000 – both by Natalie Cook and Kerri Pottharst. The sport has mostly been dominated by Brazil and the United States.
Asked what it takes to win a gold medal, Clancy said with a laugh: “Just each other.”
Team USA’s Ross – the London Games silver and Rio bronze medallist – and Klineman trounced Swiss duo Anouk Verge-Depre and Joana Heidrich 21-12 21-11 in their semi-final to secure a spot in the gold medal contest on Friday.
The women’s final is expected to be a close match.
The Aussie duo are good at combining hard and soft approaches, sometimes finding an open space by lifting the ball over the head of an opponent at the net, while delivering fast spikes at other times.
The American pair tend to play power volleyball, relying on 39-year-old Ross’s experience at attacks, digs and defence and 1.95-meter-tall (6 ft, 5 in) Klineman’s attacks and spikes.
“I think Alix really took over with her blocking,” Ross said. “She’s really gotten the pace.”
Olympic debutant Klineman, when asked about securing her first Olympic medal said: “I just can’t believe it. It’s the most amazing feeling.”
In the both men’s and women’s tournaments, Ross became the last medal holder from the past Games, underscoring the tough competition and possibly generational change in the sport.
In the men’s semi-finals, Norway’s Christian Sorum and Anders Mol beat Latvia’s Martins Plavins and Edgars Tocs 21-15 21-16 to make it to the final on Saturday.
Russian Olympic Committee’s Viacheslav Krasilnikov and Oleg Stoyanovskiy defeated Qatar’s Cherif Younousse and Ahmed Tijan 21-19 21-17 in the other semi-final.
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