USA claim women's Gold

ByReuters

Published 25/08/2004 at 13:59 GMT

American Misty May sprinkled her mother's ashes over the beach volleyball court on Tuesday after winning the gold medal at the Athens Olympics. May's mother died two years ago and May had always wanted her there when she and team mate Kerri Walsh went for

"Everybody else's family is here, why couldn't I bring my family?" said May when asked why she sprinkled the ashes.

May, who had an angel with her mother's initials tattooed onto her left shoulder after her mother died of cancer, said her father brought the ashes with him to Athens.

"She always supported me," said May, who only returned to the game two weeks before the Olympics after being sidelined since June by an abdominal injury.

Athens 2004

Brazil beat Spain for Gold

26/08/2004 at 12:23

Called by some the best women's beach volleyball team ever, May and Walsh finished off their first Olympic competition together with a perfect record and a gold medal after beating Brazil 21-17 21-11 in the final match.

Shelda Bede and Adriana Behar had to settle with their second straight Olympic silver medal as the Americans became the first U.S. women to bag a gold on the sand.

Earlier in the night Americans Holly McPeak and Elaine Youngs beat an injured Natalie Cook and partner Nicole Sanderson of Australia 21-18 15-21 15-9 to claim the bronze medal.

The gold medal match was marked by several long rallies in which each side made spectacular defensive plays to keep the ball alive, but Walsh's domination at the net proved to be the difference.

Though Shelda -- the shortest player in the tournament but one of the most agile -- scampered from one side of the court to the other to keep the ball in play, the towering Walsh was often soaring to spike down a winner or block a shot from the Brazilians.

USA TAKES BRONZE

In the bronze medal match, Youngs' strong work at the net and dogged defence by McPeak helped them take the first set. Although Cook, the 2000 gold medallist, aggravated her torn right shoulder late in the second set, Sanderson compensated to help the Australians pull even.

But Cook's injury, which left her writhing in pain on the sand and prevented her from moving her right arm much above her head, proved too much and the Australians never took control in the tie-break set.

Athens 2004

American pair set for Brazil clash

23/08/2004 at 18:52

Athens 2004

Brazil veterans reach semis

22/08/2004 at 22:03

Athens 2004

Swiss upset Brazil

21/08/2004 at 21:59

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