Women's World Champs start off Brazil's gold medal quest

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, August 5, 2016 - #2 Seed, 2015 World Champions, Agatha Bednarczuk/Barbara Seixas get the Brazil women started in Rio with the first match of the afternoon session, a Pool B match against the #23 seed Barbora Hermannova/Marketa Slukova of the Czech Republic who were one of the last two teams to qualify in the Continental Cup Championships in Sochi.  Agatha and Barbara are hoping that the home crowd will cheer them on to a gold in Rio while Marketa is hoping to stand on the podium after a fifth-place finish with Kristyna Kolocova in London.

These two teams have met three times previously on the FIVB World Tour, all in 2016, with the Brazilians winning two times and the Czechs claiming one victory. Agatha/Barbara won the last two meetings, a tough three-set match 21-17, 18-21, and 15-12 in 49 minutes in the round of 24 at the Porec Major in the end of June and a 22-20 and 21-13 pool play victory in 34 minutes at the Poland Grand Slam in the middle of the same month.  Hermannova/Slukova won the first meeting in May in a round of 24 match at the Moscow Grand Slam, 21-14, 13-21, and 17-15 in 47 minutes.

Historically the #2 seed has won three of the four matches in the Olympic Games, all in straight sets.  Russia's Anastasia Barsuk/Anna Vozakova pulled the big upset in London, defeating China's #2 seed, Chen Xue/Xi Zhang in three sets, 18-21, 21-14, and 16-14 in 53 minutes.

• 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 161-53 (75.2%) match record in FIVB World Tour Events and a 87-21 (80.6%) record in the 2015-16 Olympic qualification period.

• 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.

• Barbora: November 7, 1990 (25y8m30d), 180 cm (5'11"), 73 kg (162 lbs.), Hometown Ostrava, 66th FIVB World Tour event, two gold medals, $81,937 career winnings

• Marketa: June 28, 1988 (28y1m9d), 180 cm (5'11"), 69 kg (153 lbs.), Hometown Prague, 77th FIVB World Tour event, three gold medals, $314,500 career winnings (ranks 50th)

• Barbora and Marketa have been playing together since 2015. They are playing in their 15th FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour tournament together, with one gold medal and $72,350 career winnings

• Barbora has played in two FIVB World Tour final fours with two gold medals.

• Marketa has played in six FIVB World Tour final fours with three gold medals, one bronze medal and two 4th place finishes.

• Barbora and Marketa have played in one Final Four in 2015-2016 (Gold Antalya Open 2015-16).

• Marketa finished 5th in the Olympic Games with Kristyna Kolocova in 2012 (London).

• Barbora finished 37th in the FIVB World Championships in 2013 (Stare Jablonki) and 33rd in 2015 (The Hague), both with Martina Bonnerova.

• Marketa finished 17th in the FIVB World Championships in 2011 (Rome) 17th in 2013 (Stare Jablonki), and 17th in 2015 (The Hague), all with Kristyna Kolocova.

• Barbora and Marketa are currently ranked 17th in FIVB World Tour points in 2016 with 2,960 points and 21st in winnings with $67,775.

• Barbora and Marketa have a career 38-25 (60.3%) match record in FIVB World Tour Events all in the 2015-16 Olympic qualification period.

• Barbora and Marketa won the silver medal at the European (CEV) Continental Championship in 2016 (Biel, Switzerland).

• Marketa won a silver medal on the CEV Continental Tour with Kristyna Kolocova in 2011.