The U.S. women’s beach volleyball team, Mima Mirkovic and Kathryn Plummer, achieved an impressive feat at the FIVB Under-21 Beach World Championships in Nanjing, China. They secured the bronze medal after defeating Italy’s Gaia Traballi and Ester Maestroni in an exciting match, with a score of 21-7, 21-19.
This remarkable achievement marks the second consecutive year that the U.S. team has claimed the bronze. Previously, Plummer and her partner Morgan Martin clinched the gold at the 2014 FIVB U17 World Championships.
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Plummer expressed her joy and gratitude, stating, “It feels incredible to play for the USA and bring home another medal. I’m excited and proud of my team and the entire USA squad.” Mirkovic echoed this sentiment, adding, “I’m happy that we came together as a team and secured the win. Our goal is to make our country proud.”
The gold-medal match saw a repeat of the 2016 showdown, as Brazil’s Eduarda Santos Lisboa and Ana Patricia Silva Ramos emerged victorious over Russia’s Nadezda Makroguzova and Svetlana Kholomina. Mirkovic and Plummer had previously faced the Brazilian duo in the semifinals, with Brazil ultimately prevailing.
Throughout the tournament, Mirkovic and Plummer exhibited exceptional performance, boasting a record of 6 wins and 1 loss. The pair’s resilience and determination were evident in their pool play match against Traballi and Maestroni, where they emerged victorious in a thrilling tie-breaker. Plummer highlighted their preparation, stating, “We scouted them extensively and stuck to our game plan, which helped us secure the win.”
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While aiming for first place, Mirkovic recognized the significance of their achievement, emphasizing, “A medal is a medal, and we want to make our country proud.”
In addition to Mirkovic and Plummer’s success, other U.S. teams also showcased their talent at the U21 World Championships. Clay Messenger and Adam Wienckowski reached the round of 16 before falling to Brazil’s Adrielson Dos Santos Silva and Renato Andrew Lima de Carvalho, who ultimately claimed the gold medal. Marcus and Miles Partain won two matches in qualification before facing a Russian team in the third round. Unfortunately, Savannah Simo and Torrey Van Winden were eliminated in the second round of qualifying.
The U21 World Championships provided a stage for promising young talents to display their skills and passion for the sport. The achievements of Mirkovic and Plummer, along with the other U.S. teams, exemplify the dedication and hard work of these athletes.
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