U.S. Beach Volleyball Gold Medalists Win Event in Brazil

Sixteen of the 24 Olympic teams will be determined through yearlong Olympic rankings on the World Tour.

Olympic champions Phil Dalhausser and Todd Rogers defeated Matt Fuerbringer and Nick Lucena 21-17, 21-18 in an all-American final in the season-opening beach volleyball World Tour event Sunday.

Dalhausser and Rogers, gold medalists in Beijing, needed 44 minutes to beat their countrymen in the Brazilian capital of Brasilia, earning their third straight title at the event.

It was the duo's first tournament since Rogers injured his knee last August.

Brazil's Ricardo Santos and Pedro Cunha won the bronze medal by beating Spain's Adrian Gavira and Pablo Herrera 21-18, 21-14.

Sixteen of the 24 Olympic teams will be determined through yearlong Olympic rankings on the World Tour.

China's Chen Xue and Xi Zhang defeated Brazil's Maria Antonelli and Talita Antunes to win the women's final Friday.

The event was the first of nine on the World Tour schedule. Beach volleyball in London will run July 28-Aug. 9.
 

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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