Kitchener’s Pavan wins first ever gold medal for Canada at beach volleyball worlds

Canada has won its first ever gold medal at the beach volleyball world championships thanks in part to a Kitchener native.

Sarah Pavan and partner Melissa Humana-Paredes defeated Americans April Ross and Alexandra Klineman in the gold medal match Saturday morning.

The victory secures the duo a spot at the Tokyo Olympics in 2020.

Pavan and Humana-Paredes were ranked sixth in the world going into the match while Ross and Limenman were ranked fifth.

The gold is Canada’s first ever medal at the world championships. Pavan and Humana-Paredes recorded the previous best finish for their country when they finished fourth in 2017.

The duo won another gold medal at the inaugural Commonwealth Games back in 2018.

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  Sarah Pavan (right) of Kitchener and Melissa Humana-Paredes hoist the 2019 Beach Volleyball World Championships trophy (Source: @SarahPavan Twitter)

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  Canada's Sarah Pavan, left, returns a shot as and Melissa Humana-Paredes looks on during the beach volleyball final at the Commonwealth Games Thursday, April 12, 2018 in Gold Coast, Australia. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ryan Remiorz)