Beijing, China, August 10, 2008 - The “thrill” of earning a spot in the 24-team women’s field at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games was not enough for the Schwaiger sisters here Sunday as the Austrians posted the first and only seed-break through of the women’s competition so far at the 12,200-seat Chaoyang Park Beach Volleyball Ground.
“It was great. It was like having a heart attack,’ said 23-year old Doris Schwaiger. “I was nervous and you can see that I am still shaking. It was great to play in the centre court. This match was really important as each win helps you gain a possible berth in the elimination bracket. Our next match is very important as we play a team (Talita and Renata) that we have not success against this year.” Facing Talita and Renata in a featured match Tuesday evening at the Chaoyang Park Beach Volleyball Ground, the Schwaiger will be looking for only third win in 10 matches against the Brazilians. Talita and Renata, who opened with an 18-21, 21-16 and 15-8 win over 19th-seeded Bibiana Candelas and Mayra Garcia of Mexico Sunday, have won the last five meetings in the series with the Austrians. Other pool play winners Sunday were teams from China, Cuba, Germany and the United States as the first set of preliminary matches were completed as women’s tandems from Australia, Brazil, China, Germany, Norway and the United States secured opening wins Saturday. Reigning Olympic champions Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh of the United States opened play Sunday morning with a 21-12 and 21-15 Pool B win over 23rd-seeded Chiaki Kusuhara and Mika Teru Saiki in 36 minutes. The second-seeded May-Treanor and Walsh improved their international winning streak to 63-straight victories since losing in June 2007 in Norway to Jia Tian and Jie Wang of China in the Stavanger semi-finals. Like all of Sunday’s participants, May-Treanor and Walsh finish pool play Tuesday and Thursday with matches against teams from Cuba and Norway. The Americans face 14th-seeded Dalixia Fernandez and Tamara Larrea Peraza of Cuba in their next match Tuesday followed by a Thursday meeting with 11th-seeded Nila Ann Hakedal and Ingrid Torlen of Norway. The Cubans opened with a 22-20 and 21-19 win Sunday after over Hakedal and Torlen in 51 minutes. Sunday’s second session saw the teams of fourth-seeded Chen Xue/Xi Zhang of China and ninth-seeded Sara Goller/Laura Goller of Germany posting Pool D victories over pairs from Greece and South Africa, respectively. The Germans opened Sunday’s second session with a 21-12 and 21-14 victory in 34 minutes over 21st-seeded Judith Augoustides and Vitalina Nel of South Africa. With host China now 2-0 in the women’s competition after top-seeded Tian and Wang won their first match Saturday over a team from Switzerland, Xue and Zhang posted their fifth-straight win over 16th-seeded Efthalia Koutroumanidou and Maria Tsiartsiani of Greece with a 21-18, 19-21 and 15-12 victory in 57 minutes. After six days of pool play, the Beijing 2008 Olympic Beach Volleyball competition will feature the men’s and women’s 16-team elimination brackets starting Friday (August 15). The women’s medal matches will be played August 21 and the men’s final two contests will be held August 22. |
