Different winning feeling for Talita

2016-07-09 18:24:00 CET

Different winning feeling for Talita

A year is a long time in beach volleyball for Brazilian star

Larissa and Talita celebrate again in Gstaad. Photocredit: Mihai Stetcu.

Gstaad Major champion Talita said this year’s victory in the gold medal match was special for a different reason this time.

“Last year I was injured for 10 days and stopped playing, we came back and our first win back was here in Gstaad,” explained the Olympic number one seed. “This year I am back, 100 per cent with no problems but we didn’t win as many tournaments. We won in Vitoria and were second and third elsewhere – so this win is special this time because of that.”

Against Kerri Walsh Jennings and April Ross, Talita – with partner Larissa – were in superb form to clinch the champions’ cowbell.

“It’s never easy playing them – Kerri Walsh is on the other side of the net,” continued Talita. “We have a lot of respect for them and we know when we play them we have to play at a high level. They want to win all the time, Kerri is so mentally strong that you have to be so focused. It was a hard match but then they always are.”

A delighted Larissa, who has now won her fifth gold medal in the mountains, added: “I feel very happy. I have good memories here. We needed to have good focus and energy and that helped us win. I think we were better.”

There was to be no fairytale for Walsh Jennings, who had one eye on gold after forfeiting last year’s semifinal.

“It’s been a successful week,” she told us: “We wanted to play in the final match and we did. We hate the result and it hurts; it’s painful in my heart and my head but this is where we learn.

“They’re a good team. They’re not perfect and they’re not invincible, and that’s what I take from this match – the fact that we had a lot chances.”