Shiny day for Canada as York U alumnae vie for Olympic gold
Vying for gold today, York University alumnae Melissa Humana-Paredes and Brandie Wilkerson will take on world No. 1 Brazilian beach volleyball duo Ana Patricia Ramos and Eduarda Santos Lisboa.
It’s history in the making for Canada regardless of the colour of the medal – silver is assured – as it will be the first Olympic medal for the country in women’s beach volleyball, and sure to be a shiny day.
Humana-Paredes competed with the York Lions women’s volleyball team for four years, was a three-time Ontario University Athletics (OUA) all-star and a Canadian Interuniversity Sport all-Canadian. She helped the York program win the OUA silver medal 11 years ago and later went on to coach.
Humana-Paredes father, York University associate professor Hernán Humaña, who was one of the pair’s first coaches, told CTV News Channel that his daughter has been around beach volleyball since she was a small child. She would chase after balls while her fathered coached other players including Mark Heese and John Child who took home Canada’s only medal in the sport – a bronze in men’s at the 1996 Olympic Games – until today.
“I never in my wildest imagination thought they were going to play in the Olympic finals and here they are,” he told CTV live from Paris. Humaña went on to explain how special it is to see his daughter carrying on his life’s sport and accomplishing a first for the country.
Watch the game today at 4:30 p.m. on CBC and CBC Gem.
