May-Treanor, Walsh tie FIVB gold-medal record

PHUKET, Thailand — Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh reached another watershed mark in their careers Sunday when the team tied the record for international beach volleyball gold medals.

May-Treanor and Walsh defeated fourth-seeded Nicole Branaugh and Elaine Youngs, 21-18, 16-21, 15-13, in the first all-American women’s final on the Fédération Internationale de Volleyball circuit since August 2005.

In doing so, the three-time world champions and reigning Olympic champions won their 31st FIVB world tour gold medal, tying Brazilians Adriana Behar and Shelda Bede for the most world tour golds of all time.

It took May-Treanor and Walsh just 55 starts to reach the record compared to Behar and Bede’s 87 FIVB starts.

Sunday’s title also marked the 41st straight FIVB win this season for May-Treanor and Walsh, who won seven of their eight FIVB tournaments this season with a 53-1 match record for $309,500 in prize winnings.

First prize at the Phuket Open was $32,000. The only loss for May-Treanor, a Newport Harbor graduate, and Walsh was in the semi-finals at the Norwegian grand slam where China’s Tian Jia and Wang Jie posted a 21-19, 21-19 win over the American duo.

By defeating Branaugh and Youngs — who earned $22,000 as runners-up — for the fifth straight time on the FIVB tour, May-Treanor and Walsh now lead the series between the pairs, 15-2. Branaugh and Youngs beat May-Treanor and Walsh twice this year on the Assn. of Volleyball Professionals tour.

Counting AVP and FIVB wins, May-Treanor and Walsh won 20 of 23 events this year, compiling a record of 129-4.

May-Treanor, who was named outstanding player for the Phuket Open, also extended her record for most women’s FIVB gold medals to 34 in 68 events. May-Treanor earned three gold medals with former partner Holly McPeak in 2000.

Walsh has 33 titles in 59 FIVB events, including two gold medals in 2004 with Rachel Wacholder when May-Treanor was sidelined because of an abdominal injury.

“This was not our best tournament of the year,” Walsh told FIVB media. “Competing against Nicole and Elaine is always tough since we have played them so many times in the last 14 months.”

The pair currently lead the pack for a spot on the USA Volleyball team for the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

— From staff reports