(BEIJING, August 21) -- Defending champions Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh of the United States won the gold medal in the Olympic Women's Beach Volleyball competition by beating Tian Jia and Wang Jie of China in straight sets, 21-18, 21-18.

　　Despite facing stern competition from the Chinese team in the first set, the US duo won four out of the last five points to win the first set 21-18.

　　The US team won the first three points of the second set, but a mistake by the American duo allowed China back into the match. A pair of aces by the hard-serving veteran of the Chinese team, Tian Jia, gave China a 9-8 lead.

　　With heavy rain causing the ball to be extremely slippery, the Chinese team tried hard to defeat the US pair, which are yet to lose a match in Olympic competition. However, both May-Treanor and Walsh were able to quickly anticipate Tian and Wang's offensive moves, while Walsh scored many points through blistering smashes. The US pair wrapped up the match by winning the second set 21-18.

　　Tian and Wang's silver medal is only the second Olympic medal that China has won in Beach Volleyball, following on from the bronze medal won by Zhang Xi and Xue Chen in the preceding match. Zhang and Xue beat Renata Ribeiro and Talita Rocha of Brazil in straight sets to win the bronze medal.