May-Treanor, Walsh still too tough to beat

BEIJING (Reuters) - Women's beach volleyball has been something of a one-horse race for the last five years.

Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh have won every major tournament since the world championships in 2003 and on Thursday won their second Olympic crown against China.

"They're too strong," said Tian Jia after losing to the Americans. "We did all we could but they're just too good."

It's a feeling many competitors know too well.

Before the Beijing Games began, Australian player Tamsin Barnett quipped that the other teams needed an international convention to work out a way to beat them.

May-Treanor, 31, was down-to-earth about their success.

"I think it's basically experience, communication, knowing that we want the same thing and turning to each other when it's tough and saying we can do this," she said after winning the latest gold medal in her collection.

Walsh, who looked up to May-Treanor as her idol when she was a young indoor volleyball rookie, said they were both strong all-round players and, more than anything, great friends.

"We're unique and different. We have something special between us so we try to enhance those things whether it's our chemistry, our size, our skill," the bubbly 30-year-old said.

"We still need to keep improving on our weaknesses, though. We're never satisfied. Not even after eight years together."

The only ray of hope for the rest of the field is that both players want to take next year off to have children and will see how that goes before deciding whether to come back on tour.

In the meantime, the affable Americans see a lot of younger talent coming up behind them, particularly the two Chinese teams who shared the Beijing podium with them.

"A lot of players are where we were when we won in Athens so there are great things for them in the future," said May-Treanor, who hopes to spend some time coaching after the Olympics.

"We're following the footsteps of women that we looked up to and now they're getting ready to fill our shoes when we're gone. They just need to keep their heads up and keep going during the good times and the bad. Their desire and work are there."

Nonetheless, she did not fancy their chances in London if she and Walsh decide to come back after having children.

"I think it's going to be pretty hard," she said, smiling. "I think that if and when Kerri and I come back we can do it again."

(Editing by Alex Richardson)