Beach volleyball star Sarah Pavan ready to go for gold in Rio
To win, 'we’re going to have to be very consistent in our play,' Pavan says
Sarah Pavan doesn't care what you think of her bikini.
The beach volleyball player says the uniform – which many have criticized as being too revealing – is not only necessary, but shouldn't be an issue.
"In our society where girls are so concerned with how they look, they should find role models who are comfortable in their bodies, so it makes me a little sad that people get so up in arms about it," Pavan told The Morning Edition host Craig Norris.
"As beach volleyball players, we choose to wear the bikinis because with the heat and the sand, it is the uniform that keeps us the coolest and it helps us move the best."
Olympic goal
The Kitchener native is headed to Rio to compete in the Olympics, which begin on August 5.
"Ever since I was really, really young, my goal has always been to represent our country in the Olympics," Pavan said.
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She tried on three separate occasions while playing with Canada's indoor volleyball team. They never qualified.
"After failing to qualify for London in 2012, I had to take a look at my career and I was getting a little bit older and I figured that if I ever wanted to achieve that Olympic gold, I kind of had to matters into my own hands, so I decided to give beach a try and hopefully get to the Olympics that way," she said.
Need to be consistent
Pavan has now teamed up with Waterdown, Ont., native Heather Bansley. In just four years of being together, the two have become a force to be reckoned with on the beach volleyball circuit. On the weekend, they took silver at the Porec Major in Croatia.
Pavan said they will need to be consistent in their play at the Olympics if they want to come home with gold medals around their necks.
"It comes down to consistency. All of the top teams in the world are playing at a very high level right now and we're all neck-and-neck every week in our tournaments," she said. "If we want to be on the top of the podium, which is our goal, we're going to have to be very consistent in our play."