US Women Win Beach Volleyball Gold

Americans April Ross and Alix Klineman have won the women’s beach volleyball gold medal. The US pair beat Mariafe Artacho del Solar and Taliqua Clancy of Australia 21-15, 21-16 for the championship on Friday. It’s Ross’ third medal in as many Olympics, to go with the silver she won in London and a bronze from Brazil, the AP reports. Klineman is a first-time Olympian. Ross received her third Olympic medal from her third Olympic partner after a masked IOC official presented it on a tray because of pandemic protocols. "I was like, 'We get to award the medals to each other,'" said Ross. "In my head, I was thinking, 'Thank you, Alix." The Americans pair tied for the top spot in the Olympic qualification points race and lost only one set in seven matches in Tokyo.

The US women’s indoor volleyball team, meanwhile, made it to the gold medal match for the fourth time ever after avenging a semifinal loss five years ago to Serbia with a 25-19, 25-15, 25-23 victory Friday. The Americans easily dispatched of the team that denied them a chance at their elusive first gold medal in 2016 in Rio de Janeiro. They advanced to Sunday's gold medal match against the winner of the Brazil-South Korea semifinal. Serbia will play the loser for the bronze.

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