Canada’s Humana-Paredes, Wilkerson win silver in beach volleyball
Posted August 9, 2024 5:33 pm.
Last Updated August 10, 2024 7:10 am.
Canada’s impressive run in women’s beach volleyball has culminated with a silver medal in Paris.
Melissa Humana-Paredes and Brandie Wilkerson lost to the top-ranked Brazilian duo of Ana Patricia Ramos and Eduarda Santos Lisboa (Duda) 2-1 (26-24, 12-21, 15-10) in the first-ever Olympic three-set final on Friday.
It is Canada’s 24th medal at these Olympic Games, which equals the total won three years ago in Tokyo.
It is the first beach volleyball medal by a Canadian women’s team and the best-ever finish for a Canadian volleyball team at the Olympics with the previous best being a bronze by John Child and Mark Heese in men’s beach in 1996.
The furthest either Humana-Paredes or Wilkerson had previously advanced was the quarterfinals in Tokyo three years ago with different partners before the two joined forces as a new team.
After going 1-2 in pool play, Humana-Paredes and Wilkerson needed to win a lucky loser match against Czechia in order to get into the Round of 16, reeling off three straight elimination match wins including against the previously unbeaten Swiss team in Thursday’s semifinal.
The Swiss went on to defeat Australia for the bronze medal earlier in the day.
