Olympic men’s beach volleyball rolls on for Utahn

The 1964 Tokyo Olympic flag. Photo: Flikr

TOKYO, Japan. — The 2020 Games serves up men’s beach volleyball with one Utahn playing but his teammate not. Jake Gibb represents Team USA now but represented Team Utes in his collegiate career. Gibb played against Italy today while his intended teammate Taylor Crabb sat in quarantine after a positive COVID – 19 test.

After winning the first set 21 to 18 the USA the coach told NBC, “This isn’t the team we came here with but this is the team we’ve got. Taylor is our Tom Brady, so he’s joining us via Zoom for our defense strategy meetings and again for our offense strategy meetings. He’s worked so hard to make it to the Olympics, he deserves and earned the opportunity and we want him to remain a part of it as much as possible.”

The coach for the Czech men’s beach volleyball had contracted COVID – 19 prompting the cancellation of the only entire match at these Games rather than the sporadic athlete alternatives.

The NBC beach volleyball commentator said, “Taylor is in his quarantine cubicle and in contact with his mom and his dad on Facetime daily. His dad also texts him words of encouragement including the Serenity Prayer which Crebb repeats to himself each day.”

Tri Bourne, a USC graduate from Hawaii, stepped in as the alternate for Crabb. The duo of Gibb and Bourne beat the Italians 21 to 19 in the second set advancing Team USA through the tournament.