Volleyball: Mullin shows great promise in Brasilia event

FORMER Team Edinburgh and Scotland player Shauna Mullin has made a promising start to the FIVB World Beach Volleyball tour to fuel her Olympic dream.

Mullin and English partner Zara Dampney, seeded 29th, finished 17th in the $380,000 tour event in Brasilia, Brazil.

After coming through qualifying, the GB pair went down narrowly to Brazilians Maria Clara and Carol, the No.4 seeds, 18-21, 21-13, 14-16. Mullin and Dampney then held their nerve to win a tight battle with German No.20 seeds Claudia Lehmann and Julia Sude 21-19, 20-22, 15-13 to ensure a decent placing.

Unfortunately, they then came up against Brazilians Ana Paula Connelly and Shelda Bede, the No.3 seeds and the FIVB team of the year in 2008.

The fact that Bede had won Olympic silver medals in 2000 and 2004 as well meant it was always going to be a difficult task. As it turned out, the GB pair went down 13-21, 12-21 but have already shown considerable improvement on last year as they build towards the 2012 Olympics.

In the men's event, former City of Edinburgh player Robin Miedzybrodski and English partner Tom Lord lost 18-21, 14-21 to another British pairing, Jody Gooding and Luke Sheaf, in qualifying.