2017 FIVB BEACH VOLLEYBALL WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS – VIENNA
- July 28 to August 6
- Vienna Centre Court, Vienna, Austria
- Co-ed
- Championships
- Event Site
Three-time Olympian and world champion Kerri Walsh Jennings has withdrawn from the 2017 FIVB Beach Volleyball World Championships due to a right shoulder injury suffered this past weekend in Poland.
Man oh man, this stinks! I have a slight ? right now, but the BIG picture has me feeling eager, excited & calm. I am in the best hands ? https://t.co/43obA7n12Y
— Kerri Walsh Jennings (@kerrileewalsh) July 25, 2017
Walsh Jennings has had five right shoulder surgeries in her career and was injured at the end of the World Tour semifinal match in Olsztyn. She and partner Nicole Branagh made a huge third set comeback to tie the match at 14-14 against Canadian’s Melissa Humana-Paredes/Sarah Pavan but the injury prevented them from continuing their momentum in the match. Because of the injury, Walsh Jennings/Branagh forfeited their bronze medal match to Brazil’s Agatha Bednarczuk/Eduarda ‘Duda’ Lisboa Santos.
Walsh Jennings has experienced this type of injury before, as she has dislocated her shoulder at the Moscow and Gstaad World Tour events in 2015. The specific injury led to a shoulder surgery that year and was able to recover in time to qualify for the 2016 Olympic Games with April Ross.
Now, Branagh will compete with Emily Day who competed in the 2013 edition of the World Championships with Summer Ross, finishing in 17th place. This will be Branagh’s fourth World Championships as she competed with Elaine Youngs in 2007 and 2009 placing fifth each time, then a 17th place finish with Angie Akers in 2011.
Day/Branagh will enter the 2017 FIVB World Championships in Pool A facing Brazil’s Talita Antunes/Larissa Franca, Germany’s Victoria Bieneck/Isabel Schneider and Austria’s Katherina Holzer/Teresa Strauss.
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