Americans April Ross and Alix Klineman defeated Australia to claim Olympic gold in beach volleyball on Friday.
The team bested Aussies Mariafe Artacho del Solar and Taliqua Clancy 21-15 and 21-16 in scorching 92-degree heat at Tokyo’s Shiokaze Park.
Klineman, a first-time Olympian, and Ross, who has three medals in as many trips to the Summer Games, needed just 20 minutes to claim the first set. They fell behind 2-0 in the second before scoring 10 straight points to pull away.
Both Ross and Klineman are from California.
“Aussie! Aussie! Aussie! Oi! Oi! Oi!” chants soon gave way to “U-S-A!” as Artacho del Solar served into the net to seal the U.S. victory.
LOSSES IN TRACK, WINS ON FIELD: ANOTHER ROCKY DAY FOR USA
April Ross, left, of the United States, and teammate Alix Klineman celebrate winning a women’s beach volleyball Gold Medal match against Australia at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Friday, Aug. 6, 2021, in Tokyo, Japan. (Associated Press)
Ross won a silver medal…