Brazil beat Spain for Gold

ByReuters

Published 26/08/2004 at 12:23 GMT

Ricardo Santos and Emanuel Rego beat Spain's Javier Bosma and Pablo Herrera 21-16 21-15 on Wednesday to bag Brazil's first men's Olympic beach volleyball gold medal. Ricardo dominated the match at the net leaving the Spaniards staring at the ball and helpless to defend.

Fifteenth-seeded Bosma and Herrera, who had said they were surprised they had made it so far in the tournament without even losing a match at the pool stage, mounted a tough fight to keep the match alive in the first set.

But despite strong defence by veteran Bosma and quick footwork by 22-year-old Herrera, the Spaniards never managed totake a lead over the world champions, who have won nine world tour events in the past two seasons.

Brazil's men have only won one previous Olympic beach volleyball medal -- the silver Ricardo won with a different partner in 2000.

Athens 2004