Canberra, Australia, March 13, 2017 - Taliqua Clancy has been ruled out of this weekend’s FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour event at Sydney’s Manly Beach as she continues her recovery from a non-volleyball related injury, but Louise Bawden, a three-time Olympian who finished fifth at last year's Rio Olympics with Clancy, will team up with another 2016 Rio Olympian, Nicole Laird, for this weekend's World Tour event, the biggest beach volleyball event to come to Sydney since the 2000 Olympics.
“It is obviously a great disappointment for me not to get to play in such an exciting event on our home sand,” Clancy said.
“We don’t get a lot of opportunity to take on the world’s best at home, so there has been a real buzz among the helloworld Volleyroos from the moment this event was announced.
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FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour - SydneyFIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour 2017Rio 2016 Olympic Games - Beach VolleyballFIVB.com - Beach VolleyballLatest VideosFacebookTwitterInstagramMedia Guides“I have worked incredibly hard to return to full fitness, but unfortunately time has run out for me for this weekend. I am hoping to be back on the World Tour very soon, but in the meantime I am looking forward to watching Lou and Nikki and the rest of the Volleyroos competing at Manly.”
Laird partnered with fellow Manly local, Mariafe Artacho del Solar, in Rio last year, where they lost their three pool matches.
del Solar will also be returning to her home sand this weekend, partnering Queensland’s Jessyka Ngauamo, while 2012 Olympian Becchara Palmer, who went to London with Bawden, will partner another Queenslander, Phoebe Bell.
There will be nine Australian pairs among the 34 competing in the March 17-19 event, with teams from the UK, Europe, North America, Asia, the Pacific and Oceania taking part.
Canada’s Julie Gordon and Camille Saxton, who won last week’s World Tour event in Shepparton, will be looking to go back-to-back.
This weekend’s World Tour event kicks off Volleyfest 2017, 10 days of beach volleyball at Manly Beach that also includes a four nation men’s invitational, and the Australian Beach Volleyball tour finals.