Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, August 6, 2016 - Chile will be making its Olympic Games debut against three-time Olympic Games veteran, Reinder Nummerdor and his new partner Christiaan Varenhorst in the last match of the morning session on day two. Reinder will be hoping to break through to the podium with his near-7-foot tall partner after his previous 5th-place and 4th-place finishes.
Head to Head
Nummerdor/Vaarenhorst lead the series 3-1 on the FIVB World Tour, but the Chileans won the last meeting, 19-21, 21-18, and 15-5 in pool play at the Olsztyn Poland Grand Slam in August, 2015. The three Dutch wins include a three-set, hour-long pool play win 21-17, 21-23, and 15-12 at the St. Petersburg Grand Slam in June, 2015 along with straight-set round of 24 win at the Long Beach Grand Slam in August, 2015 and a 21-18 and 21-18 gold-medal match win at the Mangaung Open in December, 2014.
Historically the #5 seed has won all four previous Olympic Game meetings over the #20 seed, all in the first round. The last match in London (2012) required three sets as Nummerdor/Richard Schuil defeated Venezuela's Igor Hernandez/Jesus Villafane, 21-18, 17-21, and 15-10 in 54 minutes. The 2004 match in Athens required overtime in the first set, a victory by Switzerland's Patrick Heuscher/Stefan Kobel over Canada's John Child/Mark Heese, 28-26 and 21-18 in 61 minutes.
Reinder Nummerdor/Christiaan Varenhorst, Netherlands, Seed #5, Pool E, Qualified 5th with 5,960 Points in the 2015-16 Olympic qualification period
• Reinder: September 10, 1976 (39y10m27d), 194 cm (6'4"), 87 kg (193 lbs.), Hometown IJsselmuiden, 101st FIVB World Tour event (ranks 69th), 12 gold medals (ranks 13th), $643,687 career winnings (ranks 19th)
• Christiaan: May 6, 1990 (26y3m0d), 212 cm (6'11-1/2"), 106 kg (235 lbs.), Hometown Valthermond, 63rd FIVB World Tour event, three gold medals, $299,262 career winnings (ranks 68th)
• Reinder and Christiaan have been playing together since 2014. They are playing in their 23rd FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour tournament together, three gold medals, $388,125 career winnings (ranks 48th).
• Reinder has played in 27 FIVB World Tour final fours with 12 gold, seven silver, two bronze medals and six 4th place finishes.
• Christiaan has played in eight FIVB World Tour final fours with three gold, two silver, one bronze medal and two 4th place finishes.
• Reinder and Christiaan have played in four Final Fours in 2015-2016 (4th Porec Major 2015, Silver St. Petersburg Grand Slam 2015, Silver World Championships 2015, Gold Moscow Grand Slam 2016).
• Reinder finished 5th in the Olympic Games in 2008 (Beijing) and 4th in 2012 (London), both with Richard Schuil.
• Reinder and Christiaan won the silver medal in the FIVB World Championships in 2015 (The Hague).
• Reinder finished 17th in the FIVB World Championships in 2007 (Gstaad) 17th in 2009 (Stavanger) 17th in 2011 (Rome) and 17th in 2013 (Stare Jablonki), all with Richard Schuil.
• Christiaan finished 17th in the FIVB World Championships with Daan Spijkers in 2013 (Stare Jablonki).
• Reinder and Christiaan are currently ranked 17th in FIVB World Tour points in 2016 with 3,380 points and 10th in winnings with $120,125.
• Reinder Nummerdor and Christiaan Varenhorst have a career 82-39 (67.8%) match record in FIVB World Tour Events and a 66-36 (64.7%) record in the 2015-16 Olympic qualification period.
• Reinder and Christiaan won the bronze medal at the European (CEV) Continental Championships in 2015 (Klagenfurt, Austria) and one other gold medal on the CEV Continental Tour in 2014.
• Reinder won the gold medal at the CEV Continental Championships in 2008 (Hamburg, Germany), 2009 (Sochi, Russia) and 2010 (Berlin, Germany) along with four other gold medals, three silver medals and four bronze medals on the CEV Continenal Tour from 2006-11, all with Richard Schuill and one bronze medal with Jon Stiekema in 2011.
• Reinder is tied with Switzerland's Martin Laciga and Germany's Julius Brink for the most CEV Continental Tour gold medals with eight.
• Christiaan won the silver medal at the U21 World Championships with Alexander Brouwer in 2008 (Brighton, England).
• Reinder was named the FIVB World Tour Best Defensive Player in 2009 and 2011.
• Christiaan was named the FIVB World Tour Top Rookie in 2012 and Best Hitter in 2015.
• Christiaan is the tallest player to compete in any of the six Olympic games at 212 cm (6'11-1/2").
Esteban Grimalt/Marco Grimalt, Chile, Seed #20, Pool E, Qualified through South American Confederation (CSV) Continental Cup
• Esteban: January 9, 1991 (25y6m28d), 190 cm (6'3"), 88 kg (195 lbs.), Hometown Santiago de Chile, 40th FIVB World Tour event, $77,137 career winnings
• Marco: July 11, 1989 (27y0m26d), 195 cm (6'5"), 90 kg (200 lbs.), Hometown Queilen, Chiloe, 40th FIVB World Tour event, $77,137 career winnings
• Esteban and Marco have been playing together since 2011. They are playing in their 40th FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour tournament together (ranks 84th), $154,275 career winnings.
• Esteban has played in four FIVB World Tour final fours with two silver medals and two 4th place finishes.
• Marco has played in four FIVB World Tour final fours with two silver medals and two 4th place finishes.
• Esteban and Marco have played in two Final Fours in 2015-2016 (4th Antalya Open 2015-16, 4th Fortaleza Open 2016).
• Esteban and Marco finished 33rd in the FIVB World Championships in 2013 (Stare Jablonki) and 17th in 2015 (The Hague).
• Esteban and Marco are currently ranked 27th in FIVB World Tour points in 2016 with 2,460 points and 32nd in winnings with $30,400.
• Esteban and Marco have a career 81-77 (51.3%) match record in FIVB World Tour Events and a 36-45 (44.4%) record in the 2015-16 Olympic qualification period.
• Esteban and Marco won the CSV Continental Championship in 2015 (Venezuela).
• Esteban and Marco have won seven gold, six bronze, and three bronze medals on the CSV Continental Tour from 2013-2016.
• Esteban and Marco are cousins, and their uncle Rodrigo "Yoyo" Grimalt played on the FIVB World Tour from 1987-1998.
• Esteban and Marco are the first team from Chile to compete in the Olympic Games for beach volleyball.