Aussie duo world class

BEACH volleyball golden girls Taliqua Clancy and Mariafe Artacho del Solar have all but sealed their place at the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games after winning a world tour event at Manly yesterday.

The victory was the pair’s fourth-consecutive tournament win since they joined forces late last year and was the first international tournament win at home by an Australian women’s team since Kerri Pottharst and Natalie cook won gold at the Sydney Olympics in 2000.

Clancy and Artacho del Solar beat China’s Fan Wang and Xinyi Xia in straight sets (21-17 21-14) to seal the win.

The pair hope to make their own Games history next April when beach volleyball makes its debut as a Commonwealth Games sport. The pair are favourites for the gold.

– EMMA GREENWOOD