The three-time Olympic gold medalist was aced more frequently than she’s used to, and struggled throughout Wednesday morning’s semifinal against Brazil as the Brazilian duo of Agatha and Barbara continued to target her. She recently got her Master’s degree from Concordia University in Irvine, CA and was named director of volleyball operations at Long Beach City College back in June, according to Bustle.
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With their second win in six worldwide meetings with Talita and Larissa, Ross and Walsh Jennings will join Laura Ludwig/Kira Walkenhorst of Germany and Agatha Bednarczuk/Barbara Seixas of Brazil on the Rio 2016 Olympic Games women’s Beach Volleyball podium. Their sweep that day had cast doubts about whether Walsh Jennings had enough to succeed in Rio after three consecutive gold medals with former partner Misty May-Treanor.
“As an athlete that’s honestly the hardest game I’ve played in my life”, Walsh Jennings said.
With the temporary Olympic stadium literally shaking from the noise and stomping, Agatha and Barbara rode the crowd momentum to a two-set victory, 22-20 and 21-18. It was the first time Walsh Jennings had lost a match in her 12-year Olympic beach volleyball career. “I wasn’t passing the ball”. “Aside from the temporary heartbreak, [the injuries have] been such a blessing, and it really brought April and I closer together”, she said. Before the semifinal matches, many would have expected those two teams to play for the gold.
“I have a attractive family”, she said last week.
If it was any consolation, Walsh Jennings can say her streak ended in one of the most attractive settings on earth in a memorable event for her sport. “I just don’t know if I want to”.
Instead, on a warm moonlit night on Rio’s Copacabana Beach, Walsh Jennings and Ross won an Olympic bronze medal. Ross-Walsh Jennings finished the tourney 6-1 while Larissa and Talita were handed back-to-back losses (5-2) and exit the tourney on their home soil without medals.
The men’s final is Thursday.
European champions Laura Ludwig and Kira Walkenhorst eased home 21-18, 21-12 against the Brazilians 21-18, 21-12 to become Germany’s first women’s team to medal in the event. “When she’s on it makes me better and she was on point all night”.
“Finally we’re doing something good”, says Carmen Donat, who traveled from Sao Paulo to watch the game.
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With 10 total Olympic Beach Volleyball medals, the American men medaled in 1996 (gold and silver), 2000 (gold) and 2008 (gold) quadrennials. But to match the feat in Rio, the women will have to beat the defending world champions. I’m so grateful for every gold medal, and I’m so proud. “She’s got superpowers”, her beach volleyball partner April Ross told CBS News’ Jamie Yuccas.
