Beach city volleyball players April Bustamante (Redondo Union) of Redondo Beach, and Kelly Byrne (Marymount), Grace Campbell (Marymount) and Keala Rusher (Mira Costa) of Manhattan Beach were chosen for the U.S volleyball team that went to the International Children’s Games in Daegu, South Korea last summer.
The International Children’s Games is an annual, multi-sport event recognized by the International Olympic Committee for athletes under 16. The local players made up half of the U.S.’s eight-player team, selected from Los Angeles area beach and indoor AAU players. The other team members were Hannah Henriksen, Lindsey Knudsen, Kylie Miller and Sedona Hansen.
The team was coached by AAU beach volleyball commissioner Gino Grajeda, of Manhattan Beach.
The team participated in Olympic style, opening and closing parades and lived and shared meals with teams from around the world in the athletes’ village.
The U.S. lost their first, tightly contested match to host Daegu, Korea, 20-25, 25-21, 15-13. But they rebounded with victories over Hamilton, Canada 25-12, 25-17; and Tula, Russia 25-19, 25-6. They then defeated Plock, Poland 25-15 and 25-8, setting up a rematch with Korea for the gold medal. This time, in another tightly contested match, the U.S. Â prevailed over the host country 25-23, 19-25, 15-7.
The gold medal was the second in two years for Grajeda’s teams at the International Children’s Games. In 2011, the Los Angeles volleyball delegation representing the USA earned the gold medal in Lanarkshire, Scotland. That team was also included Bustamante, along with fellow Beach City players Zana Muno (Notre Dame) of Hermosa Beach and Jackie Dye (Marlborough School) of Manhattan Beach. The 2011 squad went undefeated.
For more information about the International Children’s Games visit LosAngelesICG.org. B
