BEACH VOLLEYBALL: Australia’s incredible run of success in women’s sport has continued with Mariafe Artacho del Solar and Taliqua Clancy winning bronze at the FIVB World Championships in Hamburg,Germany.

Mariafe and Taliqua defeated the Swiss pair Tanja Huberli and Nina Betschart 2-0 in the playoff for bronze at the Rothenbaum Stadium, winning the first set 21-18 before taking out the second 22-20.

They become the first Australian women’s pair to win a World Championship medal in beach volleyball since 2003, when Natalie Cook and Nicole Sanderson won bronze in Rio.

Taliqua says it’s an honour to emulate the success of Cook and Sanderson “It’s really special, it’s just incredible that we are bronze medalists just like them now. I’m so proud of where we are at and of our legacy. There’s a good women’s history in Australia and it’s such an honour to be part of it.”

Mariafe says it is great preparation for next years Olympic Games “This is such a huge event leading to the Olympics next year and it was so important for us. It’s been an intense week, we’ve gone through so much adversity and I’m proud of us for staying together as a team. Playing in the stadium gives you goose bumps, the energy of the crowd was unbelievable and it has been so much fun.”

Volleyball Australia president Craig Carracher says it’s a proud moment for Australian sport, "With the success of so many women on the world stage this month, the success of Australia’s women’s Beach Volleyroos continues the progress of Australia’s most gender equal sport towards Tokyo 2020 and a fitting tribute to NAIDOC Week for Taliqua Clancy.”

Taliqua and Mariafe went into the World Championships ranked number 2 in the world, the new FIVB rankings will be released this week with Canada defeating the United States for gold in Hamburg.

Volleyball Australia