China’s Xue & Zhang Net Second Moscow Grand Slam Women’s Gold Medal

For the 10th-time in the 19-year history of the women’s SWATCH FIVB World Tour teams from China and the United States competed against each other for an international Beach Volleyball gold medal with two of the confrontations being on the Poklonnaya Gora (Victory Park) in the Russian capital.

And for the second-time in three years, eighth-seeded Chen Xue and Xi Zhang topped the women’s podium in Moscow by capturing the gold medal at the US$600,000 Grand Slam presented by SEAT by defeating second-seeded Jen Kessy and April Ross of the United States 21-17 and 21-19 in the 41-minute final.  Both of China’s gold medal victories against the Americans have been in Moscow by Chen and Zhang.

In winning their fifth SWATCH FIVB World Tour title, the 21-year old Xue and 25-year old Zhang shared the $43,500 first-place prize as the Chinese topped an international Beach Volleyball podium for the first-time since defeating Americans Nicole Branagh and Elaine Youngs in the 2008 Moscow finale.