TOKYO 2020: Kenya falls to Latvia in beach volleyball

Kenya women's beach volleyball pair of Gaudencia Makokha and Brackcides Agala suffered yet another defeat this time in the hands of Latvia's pair Tina Graudina and Anastasija Kravcenoka as they lost by two straight sets of 21-6 and 21-14 in their third match, and bow out of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics Games to put an end to their historic adventure.

The loss means that Kenya finishes at the bottom of Pool D with three points from the three group games, having lost all games and will have to wait another edition to win a set.

Kenya started strong in the first set, taking the first match point but relinquishing the set to Latvia who took total dominance after taking a 4-2 lead, including having two instances where they scored seven straight points to see off the set 21-6, the joint heaviest defeat for the Kenyan team in a set in the campaign.

Makokha and Agala would show the fighting spirit in the second set, this time stretching their opponents and forcing them to work extra harder to win the set 21-14.

In the second set, Kenya started strong as well, even taking a 3-1 lead at some point by Latvia rallied from behind to take a 5-4 lead and they did not trail again.

The pair had earlier lost to the more experienced United States by straight sets of 21-8 and 21-6 in their second match at the Olympics, having lost the first one as well in two straight sets also of 21-15 and 21-9.

Claes Kelly and Sponcil Sarah of USA and Latvia's pair of Tina Graudina and Anastasija Kravcenoka will proceed to the next stage.

Kenya finishes their Tokyo 2020 Olympic beach volleyball campaign by exiting at the group stages with a lot of positives and lessons from their maiden Olympics Games appearance, ranked 23rd with the Netherlands taking the last position.