Beach Volleyball, Women

Since beach volleyball had become a popular professional sport, the top women’s teams had always been Brazilian. In Sydney, the Brazilian team of Adriana Behar and Shelda was expected to battle for the gold medal with the bronze medalists from Atlanta, Australians Natalie Cook and Kerri Pottharst. The Australians were seeded first, but had finished no better than 7th at the 1997 and 1999 World Championships, while Adriana Behar and Shelda had won the 1999 World Championships and Pan-American Games. In the semi-finals, Cook and Pottharst defeated the other Brazilian team of Sandra and Adriana Samuel quite easily. Facing Adriana Behar and Shelda in the final, they were behind early, but came back to win the first set, 12-11. The second set was similar, as the Brazilians jumped to an early lead, but the Australians could not be denied, winning in straights, 12-11 and 12-10. Adriana and Shelda would return to again win the World Championships in 2001.