2017-07-02 00:04:00 CET
Pavan/Humana-Paredes win #PorecMajor
Canadians celebrate on Canada Day with gold
Sarah Pavan and Melissa Humana-Paredes celebrated Canada Day in style by winning Poreč Major gold in a dramatic final at the Red Bull Beach Arena.
The Canadians beat the Czech Republic’s Barbora Hermannová and Marketa Sluková 32-34, 21-12, 15-6 to clinch their first gold medal as a team on the international beach volleyball tour.
For 30-year-old Pavan the gold medal was even sweeter. In the 2015 and 2016 tournaments in Poreč the 1.96 (6ft 4in) blocker won silver with former teammate Heather Bansley.
But this time there was no stopping Pavan and her new partner – even if they did lose a truly remarkable first set. Both teams traded set balls before Hermannová and Sluková edged two points ahead to take it 34-32.
In the second set Pavan began to take control at the net while Humana-Parades impressed with her defence to deny Hermannová and Sluková any advantage.
The confidence the Canadians took from winning the second set continued in the third and final set. Sarah and Melissa took an early lead and never looked back and clinched gold and a cheque for USD 40,000.
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