Recently crowned with Anouk Verge-Depre as the 2020 European champions on September 21 in Latvia, Heidrich celebrates her 29th birthday this Saturday. Heidrich also captured her first of three FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour gold medals five years ago today in China with Nadine Zumkehr at Xiamen.
At the Volleyball House on Copacabana at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games are Nadine Zumkehr (left) and Joana Heidrich of Switzerland.Heidrich placed fifth at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games with Zumkehr after being eliminated in the quarterfinals by Talita Antunes and Larissa Franca of Brazil in a 68-minute three-setter. Heidrich and Verge-Depre defeated 2018 Euro winners Sanne Keizer and Madelein Meppelink of the Netherlands en route to their 2020 European title along with eliminating Germany’s Margareta Kozuch/Laura Ludwig and the Czech Republic’s Barbora Hermannova/Marketa Slukova in Jurmala.
Other beach volleyball Olympians celebrating this week are American Todd Rogers and Canadian Ed Drakich, who are rejoiceful for their 47th and 57th birthdays, respectively. Rogers is a two-time Olympian as he and Phil Dalhausser claimed Beijing 2008 Summer Games gold medal before placing ninth at the London 2012 conclave.
Todd Rogers (centre) views a handshake between the FIVB's Angelo Squeo (second from left) and American president George W. Bush (second from right) as Phil Dalhausser watches at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games.Drakich gained his first Olympic credential by qualifying for the inaugural beach volleyball competition at the Atlanta 1996 Summer Games where he and Marc Dunn placed 17th. A long-time technical supervisor for the FIVB, Drakich also served as an international delegate at the Beijing 2008, London 2012 and Rio 2016 Olympic Games.
Ana Patricia Silva, who teams with Rebecca Cavalcanti, as one of the top women’s teams on the FIVB World Tour, celebrates her 23rd birthday Tuesday. In her first six seasons of international competition, Ana Patricia has topped six FIVB podiums highlighted by three Age-Category World Championships with Eduarda “Duda” Lisboa and three World Tour titles with Rebecca.
Brazilians Ana Patricia Silva (#1) and Rebecca Cavalcanti after winning a match in July 2019 in Gstaad, Switzerland.Leila Barros of Brazil (Atlanta 1996 and Sydney 2000 bronze) and Chris Marlowe of the United States (Los Angeles 1984 gold) are two indoor Olympic medal winners with beach backgrounds celebrating birthdays this week. Leila, who is married to the legendary Emanuel Rego and turns 47 Wednesday, competed in 58 World Tour events with one gold medal, seven podium placements, 13 final fours and 23 quarterfinal appearances from 2002 through 2008).
Currently the play-by-play announcer for the Denver Nuggets of the National Basketball Association, Marlowe turns 69 Monday. He was the lead beach volleyball announcer for NBC at the Athens 2004, Beijing 2008, London 2012 and Rio 2016 Olympic Games. He has also covered three indoor volleyball competitions at the Olympics for NBC.
A collegiate basketball and volleyball player and a member of the United States National Men's Volleyball Team, Marlowe never finished below fifth in 27 appearances on the American domestic beach tours with eight titles and 18 semifinal appearances.
Here are the gold medal winning teams during this week (September 27-October 3 in FIVB beach volleyball history.
September 27
• In 2015, Heidrich and Zumkehr won the Xiamen Open. It was the first of two FIVB World Tour wins for the team.
September 28
• In 2014, Reinder Nummerdor and Christiaan Varenhorst of the Netherlands won the São Paulo Grand Slam. It was the first of three FIVB World Tour wins for the team.
• In 2014, Talita and Larissa won the São Paulo Grand Slam. It was the third of 16 FIVB World Tour wins for the team.
Dutchmen Christiaan Varenhorst (left) and Reinder Nummerdor with their medals and trophy at the 2014 Sao Paulo Grand Slam.September 29
•In 2007, Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh Jennings of the United States won the Fortaleza Open. It was the 30th of 40 FIVB World Tour wins for the team.
September 30
•In 2006, Juliana Felisberta and Larissa won the Vitória Open. It was the 14th of 45 FIVB World Tour wins for the team.
•In 2007, Emanuel and Ricardo Santos won the Fortaleza Open. It was the 30th of 33 FIVB World Tour wins for the team.
October 1
•In 2006, Julius Brink and Christoph Dieckmann of Germany won the Vitória Open. It was the second of three FIVB World Tour wins for the team.
October 2
•In 2010, Alexander Likholetov and Evgeniy Romashkin of Russia won the Chennai Challenger. It was the only FIVB win for the team.
•In 2010, Jana Kohler and Kira Walkenhorst of Germany won the Chennai Challenger. It was the only FIVB win for the team.
Quick links:
FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour
Olympic Games Tokyo 2020
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