# Beach volleyball at the 2012 Summer Olympics – Women's tournament

The women's beach volleyball tournament at the 2012 Olympic Games in London, United Kingdom, took place between July 28, 2012 and August 8, 2012 at Horse Guards Parade.
Twenty-four pairs of competitors were taking part, including one from Great Britain as the host country, and a maximum of two from each other nation. Sixteen qualified through positioning in the FIVB Beach Volleyball World Rankings as of 17 June 2012, five others earned their places at the 2010–12 Continental Beach Volleyball Cup, and the final three from the FIVB Beach Volleyball World Cup Olympic Qualification tournament.
By virtue of the two American pairings winning gold and silver, this marked the second time in Olympic history the top two women's teams were both from the same country, the first being Brazil back in 1996 when the event debuted.

## Qualification

| Means of qualification | Vacancies | Qualified |
| FIVB Beach Volleyball Olympic Ranking (as of 17 June 2012) | 16 | Brazil China United States Brazil United States Netherlands Italy Germany Czech Republic Spain Germany Switzerland Austria Australia Czech Republic Greece |
| 2010–12 Continental Beach Volleyball Cup (confirmed on 2 July 2012) | 5 | Mauritius (Africa) Argentina (South America) Russia (Europe) Canada (North America) Australia (Asia/Oceania) |
| Beach Volleyball World Cup Final Olympic Qualification (26 June – 1 July 2012) | 2 | Netherlands Russia |
| Host nation | 1 | Great Britain |
| Total | 24 | |

## Seeds

| Rank | Team | NOC |
| 1 | Juliana Felisberta – Larissa França | Brazil |
| 2 | Xue Chen – Zhang Xi | China |
| 3 | Misty May-Treanor – Kerri Walsh Jennings | United States |
| 4 | Jennifer Kessy – April Ross | United States |
| 5 | Maria Antonelli – Talita Antunes | Brazil |
| 6 | Zara Dampney – Shauna Mullin | Great Britain |
| 7 | Greta Cicolari – Marta Menegatti | Italy |
| 8 | Sara Goller – Laura Ludwig | Germany |
| 9 | Sanne Keizer – Marleen van Iersel | Netherlands |
| 10 | Kristýna Kolocová – Markéta Sluková | Czech Republic |
| 11 | Simone Kuhn – Nadine Zumkehr | Switzerland |
| 12 | Katrin Holtwick – Ilka Semmler | Germany |
| 13 | Lenka Háječková – Hana Klapalová | Czech Republic |
| 14 | Vassiliki Arvaniti – Maria Tsiartsiani | Greece |
| 15 | Doris Schwaiger – Stefanie Schwaiger | Austria |
| 16 | Elsa Baquerizo – Liliana Fernández | Spain |
| 17 | Louise Bawden – Becchara Palmer | Australia |
| 18 | Ekaterina Khomyakova – Evgenia Ukolova | Russia |
| 19 | Marie-Andrée Lessard – Annie Martin | Canada |
| 20 | Madelein Meppelink – Sophie van Gestel | Netherlands |
| 21 | Ana Gallay – María Zonta | Argentina |
| 22 | Natalie Cook – Tamsin Hinchley | Australia |
| 23 | Anastasia Vasina – Anna Vozakova | Russia |
| 24 | Natacha Rigobert – Elodie Li Yuk Lo | Mauritius |

## Preliminary round

The composition of the preliminary rounds was announced confirmed on 19 July 2012 in a draw held in Klagenfurt, Austria.
Teams are awarded two points for a win and one for a loss. If two teams are tied at the end of pool play, the tiebreakers is their head-to-head match. If three or more teams are tied, the tiebreakers are (1) points ratio between tied teams, (2) points ratio within pool, and (3) tournament seed. The two best teams from each group advance to the round of 16. The two best third-placed teams also qualify. Two 'lucky loser' matches qualify two more of the third-placed teams.
* All times are British Summer Time (UTC+01:00).

### Pool A

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | Pts | SW | SL | SR | SPW | SPL | SPR | Qualification |
| 1 | Juliana – Larissa (BRA) | 3 | 3 | 0 | 6 | 6 | 0 | MAX | 126 | 76 | 1.658 | Round of 16 |
| 2 | Holtwick – Semmler (GER) | 3 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 2.000 | 115 | 97 | 1.186 | Round of 16 |
| 3 | Háječková – Klapalová (CZE) | 3 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 0.500 | 106 | 105 | 1.010 | Third place/'lucky loser' play-offs |
| 4 | Rigobert – Li Yuk Lo (MRI) | 3 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 6 | 0.000 | 57 | 126 | 0.452 | Eliminated |

### Pool B

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | Pts | SW | SL | SR | SPW | SPL | SPR | Qualification |
| 1 | Vasina – Vozakova (RUS) | 3 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 1.250 | 156 | 150 | 1.040 | Round of 16 |
| 2 | Xue – Zhang (CHN) | 3 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 1.667 | 143 | 135 | 1.059 | Round of 16 |
| 3 | Kuhn – Zumkehr (SUI) | 3 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 1.000 | 136 | 139 | 0.978 | Round of 16 |
| 4 | Arvaniti – Tsiartsiani (GRE) | 3 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 5 | 0.400 | 119 | 130 | 0.915 | Eliminated |

### Pool C

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | Pts | SW | SL | SR | SPW | SPL | SPR | Qualification |
| 1 | May-Treanor – Walsh Jennings (USA) | 3 | 3 | 0 | 6 | 6 | 1 | 6.000 | 137 | 109 | 1.257 | Round of 16 |
| 2 | Kolocová – Sluková (CZE) | 3 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 1.000 | 133 | 137 | 0.971 | Round of 16 |
| 3 | Schwaiger – Schwaiger (AUT) | 3 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 0.800 | 141 | 150 | 0.940 | Third place/'lucky loser' play-offs |
| 4 | Cook – Hinchley (AUS) | 3 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 6 | 0.333 | 136 | 151 | 0.901 | Eliminated |

### Pool D

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | Pts | SW | SL | SR | SPW | SPL | SPR | Qualification |
| 1 | Kessy – Ross (USA) | 3 | 3 | 0 | 6 | 6 | 2 | 3.000 | 149 | 130 | 1.146 | Round of 16 |
| 2 | Baquerizo – Fernández (ESP) | 3 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 1.667 | 150 | 143 | 1.049 | Round of 16 |
| 3 | Keizer – van Iersel (NED) | 3 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 1.000 | 134 | 126 | 1.063 | Round of 16 |
| 4 | Gallay – Zonta (ARG) | 3 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 6 | 0.000 | 93 | 127 | 0.732 | Eliminated |

### Pool E

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | Pts | SW | SL | SR | SPW | SPL | SPR | Qualification |
| 1 | Maria – Talita (BRA) | 3 | 3 | 0 | 6 | 6 | 2 | 3.000 | 161 | 138 | 1.167 | Round of 16 |
| 2 | Goller – Ludwig (GER) | 3 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 1.667 | 160 | 144 | 1.111 | Round of 16 |
| 3 | Meppelink – van Gestel (NED) | 3 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 0.500 | 103 | 118 | 0.873 | Third place/'lucky loser' play-offs |
| 4 | Bawden – Palmer (AUS) | 3 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 6 | 0.333 | 127 | 151 | 0.841 | Eliminated |

### Pool F

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | Pts | SW | SL | SR | SPW | SPL | SPR | Qualification |
| 1 | Cicolari – Menegatti (ITA) | 3 | 3 | 0 | 6 | 6 | 2 | 3.000 | 154 | 124 | 1.242 | Round of 16 |
| 2 | Khomyakova – Ukolova (RUS) | 3 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 1.667 | 157 | 150 | 1.047 | Round of 16 |
| 3 | Dampney – Mullin (GBR) | 3 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 5 | 0.400 | 119 | 136 | 0.875 | Third place/'lucky loser' play-offs |
| 4 | Lessard – Martin (CAN) | 3 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 0.500 | 156 | 176 | 0.886 | Eliminated |

### Lucky loser

Of the six teams that are placed third in their pools, two directly qualify for the play-offs. From the four remaining third-placed teams, another two teams qualify for the play-offs by winning a 'lucky loser' match.
This table shows the results of the third placed teams after the pool play, and before the 'lucky loser' matches.
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | Pts | SW | SL | SR | SPW | SPL | SPR | Qualification |
| 1 | Keizer – van Iersel (NED) | 3 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 1.000 | 134 | 126 | 1.063 | Round of 16 |
| 2 | Kuhn – Zumkehr (SUI) | 3 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 1.000 | 136 | 139 | 0.978 | Round of 16 |
| 3 | Schwaiger – Schwaiger (AUT) | 3 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 0.800 | 141 | 150 | 0.940 | Lucky loser play-offs |
| 4 | Háječková – Klapalová (CZE) | 3 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 0.500 | 106 | 105 | 1.010 | Lucky loser play-offs |
| 5 | Meppelink – van Gestel (NED) | 3 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 0.500 | 103 | 118 | 0.873 | Lucky loser play-offs |
| 6 | Dampney – Mullin (GBR) | 3 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 5 | 0.400 | 119 | 136 | 0.875 | Lucky loser play-offs |

#### Lucky loser play-offs
## Playoffs
### Bracket

| Round of 16 | Round of 16 | Round of 16 | Round of 16 | Round of 16 | Quarter-finals | Quarter-finals | Quarter-finals | Quarter-finals | Semi-finals | Semi-finals | Semi-finals | Semi-finals | Semi-finals | Final | Final | Final | Final | Final |
| 1 | Juliana – Larissa (BRA) | 21 | 21 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 20 | Meppelink – van Gestel (NED) | 10 | 17 | | 1 | Juliana – Larissa (BRA) | 21 | 21 | | | | | | | | | | |
| 8 | Goller – Ludwig (GER) | 21 | 21 | | 8 | Goller – Ludwig (GER) | 10 | 19 | | | | | | | | | | |
| 12 | Holtwick – Semmler (GER) | 16 | 15 | | | | | | 1 | Juliana – Larissa (BRA) | 21 | 19 | 12 | | | | | |
| 5 | Antonelli – Antunes (BRA) | 16 | 22 | 9 | | | | | 4 | Kessy – Ross (USA) | 15 | 21 | 15 | | | | | |
| 10 | Kolocová – Sluková (CZE) | 21 | 20 | 15 | 10 | Kolocová – Sluková (CZE) | 23 | 18 | | | | | | | | | | |
| 11 | Kuhn – Zumkehr (SUI) | 15 | 19 | | 4 | Kessy – Ross (USA) | 25 | 21 | | | | | | | | | | |
| 4 | Kessy – Ross (USA) | 21 | 21 | | | | | | | | | | | 4 | Kessy – Ross (USA) | 16 | 16 | |
| 3 | May-Treanor – Walsh Jennings (USA) | 21 | 21 | | | | | | | | | | | 3 | May-Treanor – Walsh Jennings (USA) | 21 | 21 | |
| 9 | Keizer – van Iersel (NED) | 15 | 12 | | 3 | May-Treanor – Walsh Jennings (USA) | 21 | 21 | | | | | |
| 16 | Baquerizo – Fernández (ESP) | 15 | 15 | | 7 | Cicolari – Menegatti (ITA) | 13 | 13 | | | | | |
| 7 | Cicolari – Menegatti (ITA) | 21 | 21 | | | | | | 3 | May-Treanor – Walsh Jennings (USA) | 22 | 22 | | Bronze medal match | Bronze medal match | Bronze medal match | Bronze medal match | Bronze medal match |
| 15 | Schwaiger – Schwaiger (AUT) | 21 | 16 | 15 | | | | | 2 | Xue – Zhang (CHN) | 20 | 20 | |
| 23 | Vasina – Vozakova (RUS) | 17 | 21 | 9 | 15 | Schwaiger – Schwaiger (AUT) | 18 | 11 | | | | | | 1 | Juliana – Larissa (BRA) | 11 | 21 | 15 |
| 18 | Khomyakova – Ukolova (RUS) | 12 | 11 | | 2 | Xue – Zhang (CHN) | 21 | 21 | | | | | | 2 | Xue – Zhang (CHN) | 21 | 19 | 12 |
| 2 | Xue – Zhang (CHN) | 21 | 21 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

### Final
## Final ranking

| Rank | Team | Seed |
| | Misty May-Treanor – Kerri Walsh Jennings (USA) | 3 |
| | Jennifer Kessy – April Ross (USA) | 4 |
| | Juliana Felisberta – Larissa França (BRA) | 1 |
| 4. | Xue Chen – Zhang Xi (beach volleyball) (CHN) | 2 |
| 5. | Greta Cicolari – Marta Menegatti (ITA) | 7 |
| 5. | Sara Goller – Laura Ludwig (GER) | 8 |
| 5. | Kristýna Kolocová – Markéta Sluková (CZE) | 10 |
| 5. | Doris Schwaiger – Stefanie Schwaiger (AUT) | 15 |
| 9. | Maria Antonelli – Talita Antunes (BRA) | 5 |
| 9. | Sanne Keizer – Marleen van Iersel (NED) | 9 |
| 9. | Simone Kuhn – Nadine Zumkehr (SUI) | 11 |
| 9. | Katrin Holtwick – Ilka Semmler (GER) | 12 |
| 9. | Elsa Baquerizo – Liliana Fernández (ESP) | 16 |
| 9. | Ekaterina Khomyakova – Evgenia Ukolova (RUS) | 18 |
| 9. | Madelein Meppelink – Sophie van Gestel (NED) | 20 |
| 9. | Anastasia Vasina – Anna Vozakova (RUS) | 23 |
| 17. | Zara Dampney – Shauna Mullin (GBR) | 6 |
| 17. | Lenka Háječková – Hana Klapalová (CZE) | 13 |
| 19. | Vassiliki Arvaniti – Maria Tsiartsiani (GRE) | 14 |
| 19. | Louise Bawden – Becchara Palmer (AUS) | 17 |
| 19. | Marie-Andrée Lessard – Annie Martin (CAN) | 19 |
| 19. | Ana Gallay – María Zonta (ARG) | 21 |
| 19. | Natalie Cook – Tamsin Hinchley (AUS) | 22 |
| 19. | Natacha Rigobert – Elodie Li Yuk Lo (MRI) | 24 |