Brazil Women Win Gold, While Brazil and USA Men Advance to Finals
RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil, July 21, 2007 – It was a glorious day at
Copacabana Beach, in particular for host nation Brazil.
The feature match of the day saw the gold medal match between
Brazil’s team of Juliana Silva & Larissa Franca and Cuba’s Dalixia
Fernandez & Tamarra Larrea. While the Cubans put up a good
fight, Brazil did not disappoint the crowd, and defeated the
Cubans in straight sets with scores of 21-15, 21-17.
“We had butterflies in our stomachs at the beginning of the match,
but then we could focus and went back to be the real Larissa and
Juliana,” said Larissa.
On the eve of her 24th birthday, Juliana celebrated the
victory. “”It is a gift.
A very big emotion,” she said while admitting that being the
favourites put an extra pressure on them.
In the bronze medal match, the Mexican duo of Mayra Garcia &
Bibiana Candelas defeated Canada’s team of Sarah Maxwell & Marie
Andre Lessard by scores of 22-20, 21-15.
“We began a little tense,” noted Garcia following the match, “but
we were able to keep our focus and move forward.” Pleased with the
bronze medal victory, Garcia commented, “I’m very proud for my
country. It’s important to take this medal home. I would like to
offer it to my coach.”
Men’s semi-final action also got underway today.
Ty Loomis and Hans Stolfus topped Cubans Francisco Alvarez Cutino
and Leonel Munder 21-13, 17-21, 15-13. The victory assured the
American duo the first U.S. medal in men’s beach volleyball during
the history of the Pan American Games.
The Americans will face Olympic champions Ricardo and Emmanuel of
Brazil in the gold medal match on Sunday. In the other semi final,
the host Brazilians defeated the Canadian team of Jason Kruger/Wes
Montgomery 21-15, 21-16. The bronze medal match between Canada and
Cuba will be contested earlier on Sunday.
“We will have to play our best match against Brazil to have any
chance to win,” Stolfus said. “Against Cuba, we served tough.
Tomorrow against Brazil, we will have to do it again, and that may
not be enough. It will be a great honor to be on the court playing
against Brazil.”
“Ricardo and Emmanuel form the best team in the world, and we will
take any advantage we can,” Loomis said when told the Brazilian
duo had not heard much about them and if that is an advantage.
Results Summary – July 21, 2007
Women’s Beach Volleyball Competition
Final 62
Silva/Franca
BRA Fernandez/Larrea CUB 2-0 (21:15,21:17)
41 min
Bronze Medal 61
Candelas/Garcia
MEX Lessard/Maxwell CAN 2-0 (22:20,21:15)
45 min
Results Summary – July 21, 2007
Men’s Beach Volleyball Competition
Semifinal 60
Stolfus/Loomis
USA Alvarez/Munder CUB 2-1 (21:13,17:21,15:13)
56 min
Semifinal 59 Kruger/Montgomery CAN
Ricardo/Emanuel
BRA 0-2 (15:21,16:21) 42 min
