If the term “lucky losers” apply to anyone at the Olympic beach volleyball events in Paris, it is Barbora Hermannova & Marie-Sara Stochlova. This is mainly because of the way they qualified for the Games, but fittingly, they will also be one of the four teams competing in the so-called “lucky-loser” sixteenthfinal round of the women’s tournament.

In their last Pool C match on Friday, a direct duel for the third place in the pool standings, the Czech pair persevered through a tough three-set battle with France’s Clemence Vieira & Aline Chamereau and earned a 2-1 (21-13, 18-21, 15-9) victory to stay alive in the tournament. The home crowd’s favourites conceded their third defeat and finished their first participation in the Olympics. Hermannova aced four times during the match to finish with 22 points, sharing the top scorer honours with Vieira. Stochlova produced another three aces in addition to three kill blocks and 14 kills in attack.

“It’s amazing! We were both wishing for it and we were actually preparing for this match the most, because we knew it would be a key game for advancing beyond the group phase,” Hermannova told the FIVB. “It wasn’t easy with the French girls on their home sand, and with the spectators behind. It was definitely tough, but we had our Czech people cheering nicely and loudly for us. I am super proud of us that we didn’t let it drive over us that we were the smaller group on the court. Maybe it helped us, maybe the French girls were a little bit tightened because of the expectations, but they played really well. I think we were not so close to the best game we can play, but we served really, really well. This was key to our win, for sure.”

While Hermannova is already a three-time Olympian, Paris 2024 is the first Olympics for her partner Stochlova.

“It’s unbelievable! I always say that that’s another day in the office, but this office is really incredible!” said the 25-year-old defender. “I never ever dream beach volleyball, but today I woke up from the dream that we are winning this match against France despite all the spectators cheering for them... I am enjoying the unbelievable experience here very much and I am excited about our ‘lucky-loser’ round.”

On the road to Paris 2024, Hermannova & Stochlova finished runners-up to the Dutch team in Europe’s continental qualifier. Luckily for the Czech pair, the Netherlands withdrew their duo and gave up their Olympic spot, which enabled Hermannova & Stochlova to qualify instead.

“We were really, really lucky indeed! We didn’t expect that to happen even though we had some clues, but it was the weirdest way to qualify for the Olympics,” Hermannova commented. “But hey, we were in a position to take the second place, so the card fell into our pocket and we are super happy for that. We fought for it for three years. First, we were trying via the rankings, but then in the last half a year it was really tough, because we had some injuries and illnesses, which completely turned our route to the Olympics around. So we prepared for the last tournament, where our hearts were definitely broken, when we lost the final. Five days later, we collected the information piece by piece, regained our motivation and started practicing, because this was a dream come true to play under the Eiffel Tower. I believe this is the best Olympics, because it is in Europe and we can have our families and loved ones here. It is amazing to share the experience with the people you love, definitely something different from Rio or Tokyo.”

Maybe this stroke of good luck was in a way some compensation for the bad luck that hit Hermannova just before her previous Olympic participation in Tokyo, when due to positive coronavirus tests, she and her teammate Marketa Slukova did not even get to come out on the court and forfeited all their games.

“Tokyo was a super sad story, but it is what should have happened, probably. It’s been a few years already, it definitely has a place in my heart, but I am really happy that now we are here and it is a reward for the work that we have done.”

In another direct duel for survival in the tournament, Japan’s Akiko Hasegawa & Miki Ishii mastered an emphatic 2-0 (21-11, 21-5) sweep of their last Pool E match against Monika Paulikiene & Aine Raupelyte to advance to the sixteenthfinals and send the Lithuanian pair home winless. Ishii led the way to the third place in the pool with 15 points, including three aces and two blocks. Akiko added another 14 points towards the victory.

In each of the two pools, the first place will be decided later on Friday, in head-to-head clashes between undefeated opponents. Brazil’s Carol Solberg & Barbara Seixas will face Katja Stam & Raisa Schoon of the Netherlands for the top of Pool E at 17:00 local time (15:00 UTC), while USA’s Sara Hughes & Kelly Cheng will lock horns with Germany’s Svenja Muller & Cinja Tillmann for the top of Pool C at 22:00 (20:00).

Olympic Games Paris 2024 Beach Volleyball: schedule and results

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