Lausanne, Switzerland, September 20, 2020 - Memorable beach volleyball moments featuring Olympic competition and qualification highlight this week in history for the September 20-26 time period.
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FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour
On this coming Thursday in 1993, beach volleyball became an Olympic sport when the International Olympic Committee granted the sport medal status at a meeting in Monte Carlo. The FIVB started the Olympic process in 1991 and held a demonstration in Almeria, Spain, for the sport in August 1992 following the Barcelona Summer Games.
Seven years later after being approved as an Olympic sport with the first Summer Games competition in 1996 in the United States at Atlanta, Australians Natalie Cook and Kerri Pottharst and Americans Dain Blanton and Eric Fonoimoana captured the gold medals at the Sydney 2000 Olympics on September 25 and 26, respectively.
Dain Blanton (centre) hitting against Ricardo Santos (right) of Brazil in the gold medal match at the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games with American partner Eric Fonoimoana following the action
And last year on September 21 and 22, two teams from Latvia along with pairs from Italy and Spain qualifying for the Tokyo Summer Games by winning berths at the Olympic Qualification Tournament in Haiyang, China.
A year ago, on Monday, Martins Plavins/Edgars Tocs of Latvia and Daniele Lupo/Paolo Nicolai of Italy secured Tokyo men’s berths. While Tocs netted his first Olympic berth, Plavins, Lupo and Nicolai advanced to the Summer Games for the third time.
Italy's Paolo Nicolai and Daniele Lupo and Latvia's Martins Plavins and Edgars Tocs
Plavins captured the bronze medal at the London 2012 Olympics after placing ninth at the Beijing 2008 competition with Aleksandrs Samoilovs. Lupo and Nicolai finished fifth in London before claiming the silver medal at the Rio 2016 Olympics after losing the finale to Alison Cerutti and Bruno Oscar Schmidt of Brazil.
A year ago, on Tuesday, Elsa Baquerizo/Liliana Fernandez of Spain and Tina Graudina/Anastasija Kravcenoka of Latvia secured their spot in Tokyo. While Graudina and Kravcenoka claimed their first Summer Games spot, Elsa and Liliana advanced to the Olympics for the third time after placing ninth in both London and Rio.
Two teams from Poland captured Age-Category World Championships 11 years ago today at the Under-21 championships in Blackpool, England. Michal Kadziola and Jakub Szalankiewicz won their second of two junior crowns in Blackpool after claiming the July 2007 Under-19 title on home sand in Myslowice.
2009 U21 gold medal winners Jakub Szalankiewicz (left) and Michal Kadziola of Poland
Monika Brzostek and Kinga Wojtasik, who placed ninth together at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, won the 2009 women’s crown in Blackpool. In Rio, Brzostek and Wojtasik won their first two matches over pairs from Russia and United States before being eliminated in three-sets by Louise Bawden and Taliqua Clancy of Australia.
Four Olympic beach volleyball players celebrate birthdays this week with Atlanta 1996 silver medal winner Monica Rodrigues turning 53 today. A veteran of 11 seasons (1993-2000, 2002-2004), Monica teamed with Adriana Samuel at the Atlanta Summer Games where the pair lost to compatriots Sandra Pires and Jackie Silva in the finale.
Monica appeared in 87 FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour events with 10 different partners as she compiled six gold medals, appeared in 17 finals, claimed 23 medals and participated in 30 final fours during her career. Monica and Adriana won five FIVB titles together as the pair were the World Tour champions in 1994.
Atlanta 1996 Olympic medal winners (left to right) Jackie Silva, Sandra Pires, Monica Rodrigues and Adriana Samuel of Brazil
Also celebrating birthdays this week are Americans Annett Davis (47) and Nick Lucena (41) on Tuesday and Japan’s Mika Teru Saiki (48) on Friday. Both Americans placed fifth in their only Olympic appearance with Davis competing with Jenny Johnson Jordan at the Sydney 2000 Games and Lucena with Phil Dalhausser on Copacabana at Rio in 2016.
A two-time Olympian with 97 FIVB appearances to her credit, Teru Saiki lost the bronze medal match on her birthday (September 25) with Yukiko Takahashi at the Sydney 2000 Olympics where the Japanese pair was defeated by Brazilians Adriana and Sandra. Teru Saiki and Takahashi advanced to the Sydney semifinals by defeating Davis and Johnson Jordan in the quarterfinals (September 23).
Two-time Japanese Olympian Mika Teru Saiki
Here is a recap of FIVB gold medals won during the September 20-26 time period.
September 20
In 2008, Vivian Cunha and Larissa Franca of Brazil won the Guarujá Open. It was the only FIVB World Tour win for the team.
In 2009, Kadziola and Szalankiewicz won the FIVB Under-21 World Championships in Blackpool, England. It was the second of two FIVB wins for the team.
In 2009, Brzostek and Wojtasik won the FIVB Under-21 World Championships in Blackpool. It was the only FIVB win for the team.
Kinga Wojtasik (left) and Monika Brzostek with their 2009 U21 World Championship trophy
September 21
In 2003, Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh Jennings of the United States won the Carson Grand Slam. It was the 10th of 40 FIVB World Tour wins for the team.
In 2003, Emanuel Rego and Ricardo won the Carson Grand Slam. It was the fourth of 33 FIVB World Tour wins for the team.
In 2008, Harley Marques and Pedro Solberg of Brazil won the Guarujá Open. It was the ninth of 10 FIVB World Tour wins for the team.
In 2019, Plavins and Tocs won the FIVB Tokyo Olympic Qualification Tournament in Haiyang.
In 2019, Lupo and Nicolai won the FIVB Tokyo Olympic Qualification Tournament in Haiyang.
The Guarujá podium placers (left to right) were Christoph Dieckmann, Julius Brink, Harley Marques, Pedro Salgado, Jonas Reckermann and Mischa Urbatzka
September 22
In 2002, Holly McPeak and Elaine Youngs won the Vitória Open. It was the fourth of six FIVB World Tour wins for the team.
In 2019, Elsa and Liliana won the FIVB Tokyo Olympic Qualification Tournament in Haiyang.
In 2019, Graudina and Kravcenoka won the FIVB Tokyo Olympic Qualification Tournament in Haiyang.
Latvia's Tina Graudina and Anastasija Kravcenoka and Spain's Liliana Fernandez and Elsa Baquerizo pose with the Daruma doll
September 23
None
September 24
In 1995, Ze Marco de Melo and Emanuel won the Bali Open. It was the fourth of 15 FIVB World Tour wins for for the team.
September 25
In 2000, Cook and Pottharst won the Sydney 2000 Olympics. It was the second of three FIVB World Tour wins for the team.
In 2004, Ana Paula Henkel and Sandra won the Rio Open. It was the fifth and final FIVB World Tour win for the team.
Natalie Cook (left) and Kerri Pottharst of Australia with their Sydney 2000 Olympic gold medals
September 26
In 2000, Blanton and Fonoimoana won the Sydney 2000 Olympics. It was the only FIVB World Tour win for the team.
In 2004, Markus Dieckmann and Jonas Reckermann of Germany won the Rio Open. It was the second and final FIVB World Tour win for the team.
In 2015, Phil Dalhausser and Nick Lucena of the United States won the Xiamen Open. It was the first of nine FIVB World Tour wins for the team.
The 2015 Xiamen Open podium with Germans, Americans and Latvians