The Canadian women’s beach volleyball team will play for gold at the Paris Olympics after beating Switzerland 14-21, 22-20, 15-12 in the semifinals at the Stade de la Tour Eiffel on Thursday.
After losing the first set, Melissa Humana-Paredes and Brandie Wilkerson saved a match point against Tanja Hueberli and Nina Brunner in the second set before forcing a final set.
The Canadians confirmed their victory on their second match ball, when Switzerland sent the ball out of bounds.
Humana-Paredes and Wilkerson, both of Toronto, will face the winners of the other semifinal, Australia versus Brazil, on Friday.
Humana-Paredes and Wilkerson become the first Canadian women’s beach volleyball team to reach the Olympic podium. Canada’s previous best finish was fifth at the 2021 Tokyo Games.
Canada reached the men’s podium at the Atlanta Games in 1996 when Mark Heese and John Child won the bronze medal.
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