Team Canada came through with a gold medal victory in the Elite 16 Women’s Beach Volleyball World Tour event in Montreal, Quebec on Sunday. The Canadian team was comprised of Canadian Olympic silver medalists Melissa Humana-Paredes of Toronto, Ontario and Brandie Wilkerson of Toronto.
Canada went undefeated in the event as they won all six of their games. They won Pool D by beating Mila Konink and Raisa Schoon of the Netherlands, 21-12, 23-21, Sandra Ittlinger and Anna-Lena Grune of Germany 19-21, 21-16, 15-10, and Brazil’s Carol and Rebecca 21-17, 13-21, 15-13.
By winning Pool D, Canada advanced right to the quarterfinals and avoided the round of 12. There they beat Brazil’s Thamela and Victoria 21-10, 21-19. On Sunday, Canada beat a Brazilian team for a third straight time. This time their win over Ana Patrcia and Duda by a score of 21-11, 22-20 was extra sweet. That is because Ana Patricia and Duda beat Wilkerson and Humana-Paredes 26-24, 12-21, 15-10 in the gold medal match of the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. Then in the gold medal match Sunday night in Montreal, Humana-Paredes beat Svenja Muller and Cinja Tillmann of Germany, 21-15, 22-20. Ana Patricia and Duda won the bronze medal.
This was the 10th FIVB gold medal for Humana-Paredes and Wilkerson, and the sixth for Wilkerson. It was also the third gold medal for Wilkerson and Humana-Paredes together as they previously won in Latvia and Montreal in 2023. It was also the first medal for them this season. The gold medal in Montreal will give Humana-Paredes confidence as they prepare for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.