For the first time in her Olympic career, Kerri Walsh Jennings will not be winning the gold.
The team of Walsh Jennings and April Ross lost in straight sets to the Brazilian team of Agatha and Barbara on Tuesday night 22-20, 21-18 in the semifinals of the women’s beach volleyball event. The loss marks Walsh Jennings’ first career defeat at the Olympics. She had previously won the gold medal in three consecutive Olympiads while teaming with Misty May-Treanor, who is retired.
Following the loss, Walsh Jennings, who turned 38 on Monday, expressed uncertainty about her Olympics future.
Walsh Jennings on future: "I know I can play another Olympics, I don't know if I will." #Rio2016 #beachvolleyball
— Greg Wyshynski (@wyshynski) August 17, 2016
Walsh Jennings and Ross entered the Olympics as the third-seeded team. Though Walsh Jennings may still be good enough to compete in Tokyo, she will be 42 by then, and the chances of younger players supplanting her will be greater. She still has plenty of time before she needs to make up her mind. And before she needs to do that, Walsh Jennings and Ross will face the top-seeded Brazilian duo of Larissa and Talita in the bronze medal match on Wednesday night.
