Rio de Janeiro, August 8, 2016 - 2015 World Champions, Agatha Bednarczuk/Barbara Seixas of Brazil, are looking for a straight-set win after dropping their opening set in their first match while Argentina's Ana Gallay/Georgina Klug are trying to get on the winning track after losing in their opener.
Head to Head
Agatha and Barbara have won six out of the seven meetings on the FIVB World Tour dating back to 2014. The first three meetings needed a third set to decide them, with the Brazilians winning the first meeting in the quarterfinals of the Puerto Vallarta Open in May, 2014 18-21, 21-15, and 15-10. Gallay/Klug won the next meeting 14-21, 21-16, 16-14 in June, 2014, and Agatha/Barbara have won the last five. After a 22-20, 12-21, 15-13 win in pool play in July, 2014, the last four have been straigh-set wins by Brazil with one forfeit. The two teams met in the Bronze Medal Match at the Maceió Open in February with Agatha/Barbara winning 21-13 and 21-15 in 37 minutes.
Historically the #2 seed has beaten the #14 seed in all three previous Olympic Games meetings. Each match was contesting during the pool play stage at the last three Olympics, and each match was won in straight sets, 21-17, 21-16 (London 2012), 21-15, 21-16 (Beijing 2008), and 21-17, 21-17 (Athens 2004).
Agatha Bednarczuk/Barbara Seixas, Brazil, Seed #2, Pool B, 1-0, 2.000 Set Ratio, 1.1224 Point Ratio, Qualified as 2015 World Championship Gold Medalists
• Agatha and Barbara began playing together for the 2012 season but played with different partners in 2013. They are playing in their 41st FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour tournament together (ranks 73rd), four gold medals, and $699,200 career winnings (ranks 14th).
• Agatha: June 22, 1983 (33y1m15d), 182 cm (6'0"), 70 kg (155 lbs.), Hometown Curitiba, 96th FIVB World Tour event (ranks 65th), four gold medals, $472,300 career winnings (ranks 26th)
• Barbara: August 3, 1987 (29y0m3d), 178 cm (5'10"), 67 kg (149 lbs.), Hometown Rio de Janeiro, 55th FIVB World Tour event, four gold medals, $413,500 career winnings (ranks 35th)
• Agatha has played in 19 FIVB World Tour final fours with four gold, seven silver, six bronze medals and two 4th place finishes.
• Barbara has played in 17 FIVB World Tour final fours with four gold, six silver and seven bronze medals.
• Agatha and Barbara have played in nine Final Fours in 2015-2016 (Gold Prague Open 2015, Silver Stavanger Major 2015, Gold St. Petersburg Grand Slam 2015, Gold World Championships 2015, Silver Yokohama Grand Slam 2015, Silver Rio de Janeiro Open 2015, Bronze World Tour Finals 2015, Bronze Maceió Open 2016, Silver Hamburg Major 2016).
• Agatha and Barbara won the gold medal in the FIVB World Championships in 2015 (The Hague).
• Agatha finished 17th in the FIVB World Championships with Sandra Pires in 2005 (Berlin) and 17th with Maria Antonelli in 2013 (Stare Jablonki).
• Barbara won the bronze medal in the FIVB World Championships with Liliane Maestrini in 2013 (Stare Jablonki).
• Agatha and Barbara are currently ranked 20th in FIVB World Tour points in 2016 with 2,800 points and 12th in winnings with $97,000.
• Agatha and Barbara have a career 162-53 (75.3%) match record in FIVB World Tour Events and a 88-21 (80.7%) record in 2015-16.
• Barbara won silver medals at the U18 World Championships with Carolina Salgado in 2003 (Pattaya, Thailand) and 2004 (Termoli, Italy).
• Barbara won gold medals at the U19 World Championships with Carolina Aragao in 2005 (Saint Quay Portrieux, France) and 2006 (Myslowice, Poland).
• Barbara won the gold medal at the U21 World Championships with Liliane Maestrini in 2007 (Modena, Italy).
• Barbara was named the FIVB World Tour Top Rookie in 2012.
• Defeated Barbora Hermannova / Marketa Slukova, Czech Republic (23), 19-21, 21-17, 15-11 in 57 minutes.
Ana Gallay/Georgina Klug, Argentina, Seed #14, Pool B, 0-1, 0.000 Set Ratio, 0.7143 Point Ratio, Qualified 16th with 4,220 Points in the 2015-16 Olympic qualification period
• Ana: January 16, 1986 (30y6m21d), 173 cm (5'8"), 66 kg (147 lbs.), Hometown Nogoya, 51st FIVB World Tour event, $131,212 career winnings
• Georgina: June 11, 1984 (32y1m26d), 172 cm (5'8"), 63 kg (140 lbs.), Hometown Santa Fe, 46th FIVB World Tour event, $130,737 career winnings
• Ana Gallay and Georgina Klug have been playing together since 2013. They are playing in their 45th FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour tournament together (ranks 66th), $258,725 career winnings (ranks 69th).
• Ana Gallay has played in five FIVB World Tour final fours with one silver medal and four 4th place finishes.
• Georgina has played in five FIVB World Tour final fours with one silver medal and four 4th place finishes.
• Ana and Georgina have played in five Final Fours in 2015-2016 (Silver Xiamen Open 2015, 4th Antalya Open 2015-16, 4th Maceió Open 2016, 4th Antalya Open 2016, 4th Klagenfurt Major 2016).
• Ana finished 19th in the Olympic Games with Virginia Zonta in 2012 (London).
• Ana and Georgina finished 37th in the FIVB World Championships in 2015 (The Hague).
• Ana and Georgina are currently ranked 9th in FIVB World Tour points in 2016 with 3,970 points and 17th in winnings with $80,825.
• Ana and Georgina have a career 117-97 (54.7%) match record in FIVB World Tour Events and a 64-53 (54.7%) record in 2015-16.
• Ana and Georgina have the only women's FIVB World Tour medal for Argentina (Silver Xiamen Open 2015).
• Ana and Georgina won the gold medal at the South American (CSV) Continental Championships in 2015 (Argentina)
• Ana and Georgina won the gold medal at the Pan American Games in 2015 (Toronto, Canada).
• Ana and Georgina won five gold, six silver, and one bronze medal on the CSV Continental Tour from 2013-15.
• Ana and Virginia Zonta won one gold, one silver, and two bronze medals on the CSV Continental Tour in 2013.
• Lost to Elsa Baquerizo / Liliana Fernandez, Spain (11), 11-21, 19-21 in 40 minutes