17 Mar 2016

Sport: Vanuatu volleyballers make winning start in Brazil

11:53 am on 17 March 2016

Vanuatu's Linline Matauatu and Miller Pata have made it two from two at the Vitoria Open Beach Volleyball World Tour event in Brazil.

The Melanesian duo beat 2012 Olympians Katrin Holtwick and Ilka Semmler from Germany 21-17 21-14 in their opening pool match.

They backed up that performance, beating the 32nd-seeded qualifiers Janne Kongshavn and Vilde Solvoll of Norway 21-14, 21-10.

Their final pool match is tomorrow against the top seeds Talita Antunes and Larissa Franca from Brazil.

The Vanuatu pair are currently 17th in the Olympic rankings and need to reach the top 15 by the end of June to qualify directly for Rio.

Vanuatu beach volleyball pairing Miller Pata and Linline Mansale.

Vanuatu beach volleyball pairing Miller Pata and Linline Mansale. Photo: Vanuatu Beach Volleyball