Olympic Beach Volleyball 2012: Women's Teams to Beat at London Games

One of the most exciting events to watch at the 2012 Summer Olympics, the women’s volleyball field is overflowing with strong competition that has a shot of taking home the gold medal in London.

There will be 24 teams separated into six pools of four, with 16 of those teams qualifying for the next phase. From there it will be a knockout format.

The American duo of Kerri Walsh and Misty May-Treanor are the clear team to beat after winning the gold in each of the last two Olympics, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t a score of teams with the talent to pull off an upset.

Here are the top teams to keep an eye on in the only sport full of bumps, sets and spikes.  

World rankings courtesy of the International Federation of Volleyball

5. Jennifer Kessy and April Ross, United States

Ranked fourth overall, there is no question this is a pairing on the rise.

They won the 2009 World Championships to prove they are capable of going the distance but have never participated in the Olympics.

They have a tendency to start slow, and I wonder if that would emotionally crush them at the sports grandest stage.

Tons of talent, but they don’t have the experience of some of the others.

4. Greta Cicolari and Marta Menegatti, Italy

The Italians are heading to London with a ton of confidence.

They didn’t lose a set until the Round of 16 back at the 2011 World Championships, and Menegatti won the FIVB Most Improved Player award in 2011. She looks to be one of the big rising stars in the sport.

The problem is their age. Menegatti is only 21, and Cicolari is 29. Can the inexperience of Menegatti be covered up by the veteran Cicolari?

It’s the biggest question mark for this pair, but there is no doubt they have the pure talent to win at least a bronze medal. 

3. Zhang Xi and Xue Chen, China

This duo is ranked second in the current world rankings, ahead of the two-time defending Olympic champs.

The team has registered 12 wins as a pair, including three thus far in 2012.

Chen stands at 6’3’’ and can be incredibly tough to avoid around the net, while Xi covers a tremendous amount of ground with her anticipation.

They won the bronze medal at the Beijing Games and are going to be right in the thick of things once again in 2012.

2. Larissa Franca and Juliana Felisberta, Brazil

The Brazilian duo is No. 1 in the Olympic qualification rankings for a reason.

They have 45 international wins and a bevy of individual accolades.

Felisberta has won the FIVB Best Blocker (2009, ’10), Best Offensive Player (2006, ’10), and Most Outstanding (2009, ’10, ’11).

Franca isn’t too far behind, winning FIVB Best Defensive Player (2009) and dominating the award for Best Setter (2006, ’07, ’08, ’09, ’10, ’11).

They defeated Walsh and May-Treanor at the 2011 World Championships, and anything less than a gold medal in London will be deemed a disappointment. 

1. Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh, United States

Until the champs lose, they remain the favorites.

Despite only being ranked third in latest rankings, they still are incredibly experienced and know what it takes to win at this level.

They are the first ever beach volleyball team to win back-to-back Olympic golds, and that says a lot about the terrific chemistry and speed of the pair. Each possess a power serve and can cover plenty of ground in a hurry.

Walsh is a great blocker at 6'3'', and May-Treanor has uncanny speed at 5'9''. Both players have shown no signs of aging as they reach their mid-30s.  

While a likely gold medal matchup against Brazil seems destined to happen, I’m giving the edge to the team that has been there before... and won.

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