Tian Jia/Wang Jie Make Beach Volleyball Top 16

With a second win by Norway's Susanne Glesnes/Kathrine Maaseide on Monday, China's women beach volleyball pair Tian Jia/Wang Jie also clinched a berth in top 16 at the Beijing Olympic Games.

Glesnes/Maaseide won over Switzerland's Simone Kuhn and Lea Schwer 2-0, adding to their victory over Belgium's Liesbeth Glesnes/Liesbet Van Breedam on Aug. 9.

Tian/Wang scored their second victory earlier on Monday, defeating Glesnes/Van Breedam. They won over Kuhn/Schwer in their first preliminary.

Beijing Olympics beach volleyball tournament features 24 men's teams and 24 women's teams. The 24 pairs are divided into six groups for round robin preliminary matches and the two best teams in each group and four best third-placed advance to top 16.

China's best Olympic finish was ninth place, made by Tian and her then partner Wang Fei at the Athens Games.

(Xinhua News Agency August 11, 2008)

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