All tournament long, Team USA's women's beach volleyball duo of April Ross and Alix Klineman marched on nearly undaunted with their sights set on capturing a gold medal. In the final match on Friday, that journey reached its triumphant conclusion.
Ross and Klineman defeated Australia's Taliqua Clancy and Mariafe Artacho del Sola in straight sets, 21–15 and 21–16, to bring home gold for the U.S. for the first time since 2012.
Ross and Klineman lost just one set the entire tournament, rarely looking out of control en route to the final round. For Ross, the win is her third Olympic medal and first gold, while Klineman was participating in her first Games.