Redemption! Kerri Walsh-Jennings has never left an Olympics without a gold medal, but this time she had to battle it out for bronze alongside partner April Ross. They were up against a strong Brazilian team and after all those bumps, sets and spikes it was the US that nabbed the medal in three exciting sets!
Americans Kerri Walsh-Jennings, 38, and April Ross, 34, had a lot on the line as they went up against Brazil’s top seeded team of Larissa França, 33, and Talita Antunes, 34, in the battle for the bronze.The Brazilians led throughout most of the first set and wrapped it up 21-17, meaning Kerri and April had to really rally hard to stay in contention. Brazil never let go of their lead until the U.S. took over 15-14 midway through the second set to take the lead for the first time since the match started and it totally gave Kerri and April their mojo back! They took the second set 21-17 sending it to a deciding third set to determine the medal. Kerri and April blasted back and wouldn’t be denied a medal in these games, winning the final set 15-9 and securing the bronze!
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It would have been completely unthinkable for Kerri to leave what’s believed to be her final Olympics without a medal of any kind, so she gave it her absolute all to make sure she stayed in the fight for the bronze. She blamed herself for the team’s “rocky” play against Brazil’s second seeded team of Agatha Bednarczuk, 33, and Barbara Seixas, 29, in the semifinals and had vowed not to have another night of sub-par action.
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Both teams had suffered shocking losses Aug. 16, when the U.S. duo was knocked out of gold medal contention by Agatha and Barbara, while the Larissa and Talita were overcome by a German duo. Kerri has three straight Olympic gold medals, but those were with her now retired partner Misty May-Treanor, 39, so it was a total heartbreaker that she wasn’t able to make it a four-peat with April and end her storied Olympic career on top.
HollywoodLifers, were you impressed with the match? Did the right team win? Tell us your thoughts in the comments below.
