Olympic Women's Beach Volleyball: A Photo Slideshow

American beach volleyball stars Kerri Walsh and Misty May-Treanor had a close call Friday morning in Beijing, winning their match against Belgium after five set points in the first set. The defending gold medalists, Walsh was also celebrating her 30th birthday.

The sport has proven a television success, with it's combination of athleticism, bikinis, blaring music and cheerleaders.

After almost a week of competition, here are some of the best AP photos so far.

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Misty May-Treanor in action in Beijing

Comments

[foneric]

08:34 AM on 08/21/2008

Anybody else notice Keri Walsh thank President bush, for all that he does and for inspiring them? WTF!

[chinationreport]

06:08 PM on 08/19/2008

Read:
US-China historic beach volleyball final and see stunning pictures at

http://www.chinationreport.com/

Get ready for the fun. I wish America good luck. China would be happy with a silver. They are new to the game.

[Quotidien]

03:27 PM on 08/18/2008

Check out that last photo, Larissa from Brazil.. WOW

That pic is now my background photo on my Blackberry.

Hope my clients don't notice.

[Quotidien]

03:14 PM on 08/18/2008

....sexiest women in sports.

They better NOT change their uniform schemes.

I'm really mad at indoor women's volleyball for getting rid of their high-cut briefs.

[chinationreport]

01:17 AM on 08/18/2008

Sorry, I made a stupid mistake in my last post. I meant to say 'She is a stunning beauty'

http://www.chinationreport.com/guojjpictures.html

From:
http://www.chinationreport.com/#EditorsChoice

[chinationreport]

01:13 AM on 08/18/2008

Take a look at her:
Fashion Diving Queen who just won gold. You is a stunning beauty.
http://www.chinationreport.com/guojjpictures.html

From:
http://www.chinationreport.com/#EditorsChoice

[GeorgeP922]

03:25 PM on 08/18/2008

I knew she had to be a fashion model.

Wow, she is gorgeous. I hope she gets many advertising contracts, she deserves every one of them!

[ChiGuy]

12:04 AM on 08/18/2008

I won't lie and say that what the women wear doesn't have a certain "appeal", but the power and competitiveness of the volleyball games is some of the most exciting action in the Olympics.

Even if they wore baggy t-shirts and shorts, the games themselves would be well worth watching.

[Okieborn]

07:47 PM on 08/17/2008

THANK YOU HUFFINGTON !!!

[theresedefarge]

04:29 PM on 08/17/2008

Damn! Why can't the NBA have these kind of uniforms?

[sandiegoconservative]

04:31 PM on 08/18/2008

Do you want to see Chris Kaman running down the court in that? That would make anyone go blind.

[megacephalus]

03:55 PM on 08/17/2008

where's the pix of the shrub playing 'patty-a s' with the Amerikan gurrrllls... ?

[tbirdalum]

07:52 PM on 08/17/2008

Thats not a shrub, thats Laura's bush.

[chinationreport]

01:20 PM on 08/17/2008

This is a better one:
Politics and beachvolleyball:
http://www.chinationreport.com/bushputingates.html

From:
http://www.chinationreport.com/#EditorsChoice

[IronMikeKaty]

01:12 PM on 08/17/2008

The one thing I noticed in the women's beach volleyball matches is how competitive and intense the matches are. I could watch women's beach volleyball for hours. Even the timeouts are exciting. I noticed that there seems to be some cheerleaders at the beginning of the matches and NBC needs give us viewers more information on the cheerleaders. I need to attend a match in Houston. The women's beach volleyball was better than the swimming!

[POLINUT]

07:42 AM on 08/17/2008

This is disgusting chauvinism. MORE please! =D

[MyrtleJune]

03:50 AM on 08/17/2008

The problem isn't what the women are wearing. It IS beach volleyball after all. The photographer treats it as an SI layout or a swimsuit competition on a few of those shots. Based on that set of photographs, brazil's Larissa wins walking away.


..... and where the centerfold .....errr.... action shots spread of the men's team anyway? Or was that just for swimming? ;-)

[PrairieDog]

05:48 AM on 08/17/2008

The women should be in baggy shorts & jerseys or the guys should wear speedos. What say you, women? Actually, when my wife complains about watching beach volleyball, it's not about the bikinis. It's about the athleticism of the Great Misty May. But if there was more of a chance of a "wardrobe malfunction" I might change my tune.
.........................................................just waiting for the out of bounds flag.

[cylindar]

01:13 AM on 08/17/2008

This makes the Olympic's more interesting for some of us and I appreciate the visual beauty of the human body in action. I don't know what the fuss is about as originally contestants used to appear nude.