History unfolding, Part II Tuesday

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, August 15, 2016 – On a warm, sunny June Saturday at the Rothenbaum Tennis Stadium in Hamburg, as many as 8,000 Beach Volleyball fans were ready to watch history unfold.

Playing the smart Major Hamburg semifinals were the world’s four top-ranked women’s teams and the natural anticipation was that spectators could be seeing a preview of the final four in the Rio 2016 Olympics.

Adding to the atmosphere in the Hamburg event was the fact that it was the last tournament on the FIVB World Tour where teams could qualify for the Olympics, and the drama truly kicked in when German teams Karla Borger and Britta Buthe plus Lars Fluggen and Markus Bockermann punched their tickets to Rio de Janeiro on homeland sand.

When the day’s dust settled, it was hometown Germans Laura Ludwig and Kira Walkenhorst outlasting Brazilians Barbara Seixas and Agatha Bednarczuk to capture the gold medal. The bronze went to Brazil’s Larissa Franca and Talita Antunes, who knocked off Kerri Walsh Jennings and April Ross of the United States.

Tomorrow, the same four teams stand poised for another playoff: Yes, that dream scenario final four of Hamburg materialized, though it is with different semifinal pairings on Copacabana Beach.

Larissa and Talita, ranked No. 1, square off against No. 4 Ludwig and Walkenhorst. Second-seeded Barbara and Agatha take on No. 3 Walsh Jennings and Ross.

What was apparent among the players now that the long, …

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