Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh Jennings win 3rd straight beach volleyball gold medal

Miss May Treanor, left, and Kerri Walsh Jennings celebrate a win over April Ross and Jennifer Kessy during the women's Gold Medal beach volleyball match between two United States teams at the 2012 Summer Olympics, Wednesday, Aug. 8, 2012, in London. / AP Photo

(AP) LONDON - Misty May-Treanor danced on the sand and then off it, taking a victory lap around the court before leaving Horse Guards Parade with Kerri Walsh Jennings as the first three-time gold medalists in Olympic beach volleyball history.

Extending their Olympic winning streak to 21 matches, Walsh Jennings and May-Treanor beat fellow Americans Jennifer Kessy and April Ross 21-16, 21-16 on Wednesday night.

The two-time defending champions fell to their knees and hugged as Ross' final serve went long on match point, then took the celebration to the stands.

May-Treanor, who was knocked out of "Dancing with the Stars" when she tore her Achilles tendon, then began doing a funky jig to rival the scantily clad cheerleaders who entertain the sold-out crowds and the Olympics' iconic venue during timeouts.

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Kerri Walsh Jennings

The winners hugged their family and friends in the stands — although not May-Treanor's husband, Matt, a Los Angeles Dodgers catcher who was watching on a computer from the team's clubhouse — and high-fived just about everyone holding an American flag.

Even Ross and Kessy, who won a silver medal in their Olympic debut, have called their fellow Americans legends.

But they were hoping to supplant them as the top team in the United States by depriving them another Olympic gold medal. Instead, the Athens, Beijing and now London gold medalists remained unbeaten through three Olympiads, losing just one of 43 sets.

It was the Olympic farewell for May-Treanor, who has said she would like to have children.

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Misty May-Treanor

[jklombardi]

The Olympics does have a dress code. It requires the Ladies Volleyball contestants to wear Bikinis, unless the temperature gets below 60 degrees. Due to Global Weirding, we had one such day at the London Olympics, and the lady contestants were recquired to wear T-shirts and shorts. CURSE you Global Weirding.

[TeabaggingOurSouls]

Kind of hard to play *beach* volleyball in a burka.

[RealiteBites]

LOL! :D

[credibility2]

Congrats to them on this accomplishment...now, if only they would consider dressing more appropriately and modestly...perhaps then the spectators would be able to focus on the sport instead of what the two weren't wearing. The Olympics need to have some form of dress code.

[Henri_Rochard]

You're kidding, right?

[jklombardi]

The Olympics does have a dress code. It requires the Ladies Beach Vollyball contestants to wear Bikinis. Unless the temperature gets down to 60 degrees or less, when, against their wishes, they are forced to wear T-shirts and shorts. Due to Global Weirding, we had such a cold day occurre at the London Olympics, and the athletes were forced to wear the T-shirt and shorts. CURSE you Global Weirding.