Pavan, Humana-Paredes stage thrilling comeback to win beach volleyball World Tour title
'To do it on Canada Day makes it perfect,' says Pavan on 1st career win
Sarah Pavan and Melissa Humana-Paredes staged a thrilling comeback to capture gold at the FIVB beach volleyball World Tour event in Porec, Croatia, on Saturday.
The Canadian pair defeated Barbora Hermannova and Marketa Slukova of the Czech Republic 2-1 (32-34, 21-12, 15-6) in just under an hour to claim the top prize.
.<a href="https://twitter.com/melissa_hp10">@melissa_hp10</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/SarahPavan">@SarahPavan</a> are 2017 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PorecMajor?src=hash">#PorecMajor</a> champs! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BeachVolleyball?src=hash">#BeachVolleyball</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BeachVolleyball?src=hash">#BeachVolleyball</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/VBallCanada">@VBallCanada</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CanadaDay?src=hash">#CanadaDay</a> <a href="https://t.co/i0vQeECxQo">pic.twitter.com/i0vQeECxQo</a>
—@FIVBBeachPavan and Humana-Paredes are playing in their first full season together and neither had previously won gold on the Tour.
The win, however, was especially sweet for Pavan, who despite previously reaching two straight finals had never managed to taste victory in Porec.
In 2015, Pavan, then partnered with Heather Bansley, was defeated in the final by Brazilians Talita Antunes and Larissa Franca.
Pavan and Bansley were once again denied gold in 2016 by Chantel Laboureur and Julia Sude of Germany. On Saturday, Pavan — with a little Canadian luck — managed to buck the trend.
.<a href="https://twitter.com/SarahPavan">@SarahPavan</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/melissa_hp10">@melissa_hp10</a> crown <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CanadaDay?src=hash">#CanadaDay</a> with gold at the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PorecMajor?src=hash">#PorecMajor</a>! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BeachVolleyball?src=hash">#BeachVolleyball</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Canada?src=hash">#Canada</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Canada150th?src=hash">#Canada150th</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SwatchMajorSeries?src=hash">#SwatchMajorSeries</a> <a href="https://t.co/Mm0sBq7DHF">pic.twitter.com/Mm0sBq7DHF</a>
—@FIVBBeach"It was very emotional, I started crying at the end," said Pavan.
"Mel and I have just come together as a team but we've both wanted gold for so long that doing it as a team is an amazing feeling. To do it on Canada Day makes it perfect."
Humana-Paredes echoed the stentiment: "It's indescribable. When you dream of something and you finally achieve it, it is the best feeling ever and you want to do it again."
there is no better Moment than winning your 1st ever Gold <a href="https://twitter.com/SarahPavan">@SarahPavan</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/FIVBBeach">@FIVBBeach</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/melissa_hp10">@melissa_hp10</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/TeamCanadaPR">@TeamCanadaPR</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PorecMajor?src=hash">#PorecMajor</a> <a href="https://t.co/JAxGCeECSa">pic.twitter.com/JAxGCeECSa</a>
—@beach_inside_deThe gold is Canada's fourth overall on the international circuit since the formation of the women's FIVB World Tour in 1992.
In the bronze-medal match, Nina Betschart and Tanja Huberli of Switzerland defeated Brazilians Barbara Seixas and Fernadna Alves.