US women beat Brazil to win 1st Olympic volleyball gold

TOKYO (AP) - The United States won its first Olympic gold medal ever in women’s volleyball by beating Brazil in straight sets.

The U.S. had won silver three times and bronze twice previously for the most medals by any country that hadn’t won gold. But the Americans finally completed that quest by beating the country that denied them gold in the final match in both 2008 and 2012.

The victory allowed U.S. coach Karch Kiraly to join China’s Lang Ping as the second person to win gold as a player in volleyball and then lead a country to gold as coach. Kiraly won gold indoor as a player in 1984 and ‘88. He also won gold in beach volleyball in 1996.

Serbia beat South Korea for the bronze medal.

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