Kerri Walsh Jennings and the United States won the women's beach volleyball gold medal in the past three Olympics, but the sport crowned a new champion on Wednesday at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games.
Germany's Laura Ludwig and Kira Walkenhorst captured the gold with a straight-sets victory over silver medalists Agatha Bednarczuk and Barbara Seixas de Freitas of Brazil, while Walsh Jennings and teammate April Ross earned bronze with a three-set win over Brazil's Larissa Franca Maestrini and Talita Rocha.
Women's Beach Volleyball Results
| Match | Winning Team | Losing Team | Score |
| Gold Medal | Germany (Laura Ludwig and Kira Walkenhorst) | Brazil (Agatha Bednarczuk and Barbara Seixas de Freitas) | 2-0 (21-18, 21-14) |
| Bronze Medal | United States (Kerri Walsh Jennings and April Ross) | Brazil (Larissa Franca Maestrini and Talita Rocha) | 2-1 (17-21, 21-17, 15-9) |
Gold Medal Match
Agatha and Barbara may have looked unbeatable when they eliminated Ross and Walsh Jennings in the semifinals, but Ludwig and Walkenhorst left little doubt on Wednesday who the best team was at the Rio Olympics.