Canada’s Melissa Humana-Paredes and Brandie Wilkerson will compete for gold in the Olympic women’s beach volleyball final at the Paris 2024 Games, marking the first time a Canadian women’s team has reached the medal stage.
Their opponents in the gold medal match are Brazil’s Ana Patricia Silva Ramos and Eduarda Santos Lisboa, also known as Duda. Heading into the tournament, the Brazilian pair was the favourite to win gold, with pre-tournament odds of +150, while Canada was given an outside chance at 12/1. Now, Brazil is a -275 moneyline favourite and Canada is listed at +200 odds.
| Canada Moneyline Odds | +200 |
| Brazil Moneyline Odds | -275 |
| Spread | Brazil -1.5 (+110) |
| Over/Under | Over 81.5 (-120), Under 81.5 (-120) |
| Time/Date | Aug. 9, 4:30 p.m. ET |
| TV | Broadcast: CBC Stream: CBC Gem |
Understanding Women’s Beach Volleyball
In women’s beach volleyball, each team consists of two players, and there are no substitutes during a match. The matches are played on a sand court measuring 16 x 8 metres, and players can strike the ball from any part of their side of the court.
Matches follow a best-of-three sets format. The first two sets are played to 21 points, and if necessary, a third set is played to 15 points. To win a set, a team must lead by at least two points. So, if the score ties at 20-20 in the first two sets or 14-14 in the tiebreaker, play continues until one team gains a two-point advantage.
Points are earned on every rally, regardless of which team is serving, making every moment of the match crucial.
About Canada
Canada’s journey to the gold medal match has been a challenging one. Starting as the fourth-ranked team, they faced a rough start with two losses in pool play. However, they found their rhythm in the Round of 16, where they defeated one of the favourites for gold, the American duo Kristin Nuss and Taryn Kloth, with a score of 21-19, 21-18.
They continued their strong performance by defeating Spain’s Tania Moreno and Daniela Alvarez 21-18, 21-18 to advance to the semifinals. In the semifinals, they faced Switzerland’s Nina Brunner and Tanja Hueberli. After losing the first set, Humana-Paredes and Wilkerson staged a dramatic comeback, winning the next two sets to secure their place in the final.
The partnership between Humana-Paredes and Wilkerson has been marked by success. Before joining forces, both players had notable performances: Wilkerson reached the quarterfinals at Tokyo 2020 with Heather Bansley, while Humana-Paredes finished fifth with Sarah Pavan. After Bansley’s retirement, Wilkerson teamed up with Humana-Paredes in 2022. Since then, they have achieved significant results, including a silver medal at the 2023 Pan Am Games and a gold medal at the Elite 16 in Montreal.
Canada’s previous Olympic success in beach volleyball includes a bronze medal won by the men’s team of John Child and Mark Heese in 1996, with Child coached by Humana-Paredes’ father, Hernan Humana.
Canada Women’s Beach Volleyball Team – Gold Medal Winner
+200
About Brazil
Silva Ramos and Santos Lisboa have been dominant since teaming up in 2014. Now in their mid-twenties, they are the world’s top-ranked team. Both competed in the Tokyo 2020 Olympics with different partners: Silva Ramos reached the quarterfinals, while Santos Lisboa was eliminated in the first round. They are the reigning gold medalists from the 2023 Pan American Games.
Santos Lisboa is widely regarded as one of the top defenders in the sport. Meanwhile Silva Ramos, standing at six-foot-four, is among the tallest players in beach volleyball. The duo solidified their status by defeating the Tokyo 2020 silver medalists from Australia to reach the final. Australia won the first set 22-20, but Brazil won the next two sets 21-15 and 15-12.
Brazil, the most successful nation in Olympic beach volleyball history, is aiming for its first gold since 1996.
Women’s Beach Volleyball Prediction
Silva Ramos and Santos Lisboa defeated Wilkerson and Humana-Paredes in the gold medal match at the Pan American Games in Santiago, Chile, in October 2023. Brazil won in straight sets, taking the first set 22-20 and the second 18-21. The silver was Canada’s first medal at the Pan American Games. Now Humana-Paredes and Wilkerson are aiming to secure the nation’s first Olympic medal. While the odds suggest it’s unlikely they will overcome Silva Ramos and Santos Lisboa, Canada has consistently exceeded expectations at these Games. The women’s beach volleyball team is no exception. Having already defeated the previously undefeated American duo, the Canadians have proven they are capable underdogs. The gold medal match should be competitive, and Wilkerson and Humana-Paredes are an attractive bet at +200 odds.
