Egypt's Doaa Elghobashy, right, spikes over Canada's Kristina Valjas during a women's beach volleyball match at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro on Aug. 11, 2016.Marcio Jose Sanchez/The Associated Press
Canada's beach volleyball program has two women's pairs with their sights set on the elimination round, and a men's pair getting a little help to get there.
On the women's side, Toronto's Kristina Valjas and Jamie Broder of Victoria temporarly took over first in Pool D after a 21-12, 21-16 win over Nada Meawad and Doaa Elghobashy of Egypt but ended up in second place behind Germany.
Late Thursday, Pool E leaders Heather Bansley of Waterdown, Ont., and Sarah Pavan of Kitchener, Ont., defeated Germans Karla Borger and Britta Buthe two sets to none to finish first in their preliminary round.
That sent both teams on to the elimination round.
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Men's duo Ben Saxton and Chaim Schalk finished third in Pool D but late Thursday, they beat Grzegorz Fijalek and Mariusz Prudel of Poland 21-19, 21-18 in the "lucky loser" round to keep their hopes alive.
John Binstock and Sam Schachter, both of Richmond Hill, Ont., have been eliminated from the tournament.