Latvia’s Martins Plavins and Janis Smedins won Olympic bronze in the men’s beach volleyball on Thursday, overpowering Reinder Nummerdor and Rich Schuil of the Netherlands in a close-fought three-set match.
The Dutch players battled dogged resistance from the Latvians to win the first set 21-19, only for Plavins and Smedins to fight back in the second to win by the same score.
"I don't know what to say," said Plavins.
"This year we hadn't finished higher than ninth, so even to reach the semifinal was huge. Now we have won the bronze and we can't wait to experience the medal ceremony."
The Latvian duo then closed out the match 15-11 in the decider for their country's first medal in beach volleyball.
Reigning world champions Alison Cerutti and Emanuel Rego of Brazil face Germany’s Julius Brink and Jonas Reckermann in the gold medal match later Thursday.
