Beach Update: Reunited, and it Feels So Good
The reunited U.S. women’s beach team of Kelly Cheng/Sara Hughes got its 2024 Olympic run off to a good start by winning gold at the Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour challenge event in Torquay, Australia
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Dec. 3, 2022) – The U.S. women’s beach team of Sara Hughes/Kelly Cheng won its second-straight gold medal on the Beach Pro Tour on Saturday, beating Betsi Flint/Julia Scoles, 2-0 (21-17, 21-11) in the Elite 16 event in Torquay, Australia.
The U.S. beach team of Kristen Nuss/Taryn Kloth placed fourth as did the men’s team of Paul Lotman/Miles Evans.
“It’s been so fun teaming up with Sara again after so long apart. I just love getting on the court with her. I love fighting with her and I am excited for what’s to come,” Cheng told Volleyball World.
“I’m just so happy to be here with Kelly,” Hughes added. “I’m so grateful to be back on the court with her. I think we are just going to take these two wins, proudly go home, show off our gold medals and enjoy Christmas with our families, but most importantly, we are going to get back to work, because we’ve got a big year next year.”
Flint/Scoles got their partnership off to a strong start with their first international medal.
Nuss/Kloth lost in the bronze medal match 2-1 (14-21, 21-19, 15-13) to Australia’s top-seeded Taliqua Clancy/Mariafe Artacho Del Solar, who won the silver medal at the 2020 Olympic Games.
Emily Stockman/Megan Kraft finished tied for ninth in the women’s bracket.
Lotman/Evans, playing their first international tournament together, fell to Italian Olympians Adrian Carambula and Alex Ranghieri in the third-place match, 2-0 (21-15, 21-16).
Full results and event information is available on the Volleyball World website.
NORCECA CONTINENTAL FINAL
Flint/Scoles will be back on the sand on Dec. 9-11 at the NORCECA Continental Final in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic. The men’s team of Theo Brunner/Chaim Schalk is also scheduled to compete in the event.
Beach Update: U.S. Teams Win Two Medals at Dubai Challenge No. 1
U.S. beach pairs won two medals this week at the Beach Pro Tour Dubai Challenge No. 1, including the first gold medal in a top-tier FIVB event since 2019.
Beach Update: Budinger/Field Win Silver at Maldives Challenge
Chase Budinger and Troy Field captured their second Beach Pro Tour medal at the Maldives Challenge over the weekend, winning silver after a 21-17, 21-18 loss to Qatar's Ahmed Tijan Janko and Cherif Younousse (No. 7 in the world).
