Olympic medalists secure Canada a spot at Los Angeles 2028

Paris 2024 Olympic silver medalists Melissa Humana-Paredes and Brandie Wilkerson earned Canada a spot in the women's beach volleyball tournament of the Los Angeles 2028 Games on Sunday in Vega Baja, Puerto Rico.

The two succeeded at the three-day NORCECA Beach Volleyball Continental Championship, which saw the United States prevail among the men with Trevor Crabb and Chase Budinger. Both Olympic berths go to the countries' Olympic Committees, which will determine the teams that will occupy them at LA 2028.

Melissa and Brandie, who both represented Canada in the last two Olympics (with different partners in Tokyo 2020 and together in Paris 2024), came out on top in the ten-team tournament held between Friday and Sunday in Puerto Rico with five wins and only one loss.

Their only setback happened against Kelly Cheng and Megan Kraft in pool play, but they met the Americans again in Sunday's final and secured a straight-set (21-16, 27-25) victory to claim the Olympic spot.

NORCECA Continental Championship - Women's Results

Finishing third in the event were home heroes Allanis Navas and Keishlyann Sanchez, who claimed bronze thanks to a 2-0 (21-10, 21-11) win over Mexicans Susana Torres and Abril Flores.

On the men's side, Budinger, a Paris 2024 Olympian, and Crabb overcame competition from 12 other teams to help the United States reach their maximum quota of two Olympic berths 20 months before the start of the event - they already had one as the host country.

The Americans made it to the final after having not dropped a set in their first four matches in Vega Baja, and, even starting behind, came back to beat Mexicans Antonio Lara and Carlos Andrés Ayala 2-1 (17-21, 21-16, 19-17) to take the title and the Olympic spot.

NORCECA Continental Championship - Men's Results

Canadians Sam Schachter and Jonathan Pickett won bronze and took the last spot on the podium after sweeping (21-9, 21-15) Puerto Ricans Diego Rosich and William Rivera.

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