Impress your friends

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  The first beach volleyball matches were played in the 1920s on the beaches of Santa Monica, California

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  In 1987 Rio de Janeiro held the first international event; the first world championships took place in Brazil, Japan and Italy in 1989

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  The first women's world championship was held in Almería, Spain, in the same year as the Barcelona 1992 Olympic Games

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  Brazil and the USA dominated the first Olympic beach volleyball competition, at Atlanta 1996. Brazil's women took gold and silver, the US won the same in the men's event

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  At Beijing 2008, Kerri Walsh Jennings/Misty May and Todd Rogers/Phil Dalhausser ensured that the USA left with both gold medals

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  At London 2012, the Germans Julius Brink and Jonas Reckermann became the first European pair to win Olympic gold in beach volleyball

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  Karch Kiraly, from the United States, is the only Olympic champion in volleyball and beach volleyball

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  Kerri Walsh Jennings and Misty May, of the United States, have won gold at the last three Olympic Games without losing any of their 21 matches

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  Beach volleyball matches normally continue in moderate rain or wind – only lightning or strong wind and rain cause games to be stopped

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  If it is unclear if the ball landed in or out, the referee can decide by taking account of the ball's mark in the sand

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  At the London 2012 Games, the beach volleyball arena was set up in front of Horse Guards Parade, where the Queen’s birthday is celebrated every year with the ‘Trooping the Colour’