Bruno Schmidt, Evandro begin gold quest with win over Chile's Grimalts

Brazil's Evandro Goncalves Oliveira Junior (L) talks to partner Bruno Oscar Schmidt in their men's preliminary beach volleyball pool E match between Brazil and Chile during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Shiokaze Park in Tokyo on July 25, 2021. ((Photo By Angela Weiss/Afp Via Getty Images))

Bruno Oscar Schmidt's bid to win back-to-back beach volleyball gold medals started with a new partner and a hiccup but also an all-important win.

Bruno and Evandro had to go an hour to collect a 2-1 win over Chile's Marco Grimalt and Esteban Grimalt, sandwiching 21-15 and 15-12 sets around a 21-16 loss.

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Bruno took gold with Alison Cerutti in Rio, but the two-time Olympic medalist Alison is with Alvaro Filho in Tokyo. They handled Argentina's Nicolas Capogrosso and Julian Azaad in their opener.

Elsewhere, Dutch duo Alexander Brouwer and Robert Meeuwsen handed a 2-0 loss to Team USA veteran duo Philip Dalhausser and Nicholas Lucena.