Humana-Paredes, Wilkerson finish with silver at Elite16 season-opener in Doha
Canada’s beach volleyball duo of Melissa Humana-Paredes and Brandie Wilkerson took home silver the final of the season-opening Elite16 beach volleyball stop in Doha, Qatar, falling in straight sets on Saturday.
Brazilians Bárbara Seixas and Carol Salgado beat Humana-Paredes and Wilkerson in the final, 21-18, 21-18.
Before defeating Latvia’s Anastasija Samoilova and Tina Graudina earlier Saturday, taking a 21-17, 20-22, 15-12 win in the semifinals, the Canadian duo beat the top-ranked Brazilian duo of Ana Patricia Silva Ramos and Eduarda Santos Lisboa in straight sets, 21-19, 21-19, in the quarterfinals on Friday.
Last year, they captured gold at home at the Montreal Elite16 stop as well as in the Jurmala Challenge, and took home bronze at the Ostrava Elite16.
Humana-Paredes and Wilkerson placed at least fifth in their nine appearances at Beach Pro Tour tournaments in 2023 as well as the world championship in Mexico.
The Canadian duo captured Canada’s first women’s beach volleyball medal at the Pan American Games in Santiago, Chile in the fall with a silver.