Americans May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh completed an unbeaten run through the women's Olympic beach volleyball tournament with a straight-set win in the gold medal match on Thursday.

May-Treanor and Walsh won their second straight gold medal after defeating China's Wang Jie and Tian Jia 21-18, 21-18 in a driving rain at the Chaoyang Park venue.

"We've already created history in Chinese beach volleyball. The most important thing is to continue narrowing the gap between us and stronger teams," said Wang Jie.

Earlier, Xue Chen and Zhang Xi clinched China's first ever medal in beach volleyball when they downed Renata Ribeiro and Talita Rocha of Brazil 21-19, 21-17 in the bronze medal clash.

In heavy rains, Olga Kaniskina of Russia demolished the Olympic record to grab the women's 20km walk title in one hour 26 minutes 31 seconds.

It was Russia's fifth gold in athletics of the Games.

Dutch swimmer Maarten van Weijden won the men's 10-kilometer open water swimming race, which, alongside BMX biking, was making a debut at the Olympic Games.

In women's volleyball, the United States reached their first final in 24 years with a stylish victory over three-time Olympic champion Cuba.

The Americans, coached by Chinese legendary player Lang Ping needed just 67 minutes to beat Cuba 25-20, 25-16, 25-17. They will face the winner of the other semifinal between China and Brazil.

"I thought the game would be more difficult. Previously, we've never played less than three sets," said Lang Ping, who helped China defeat the U.S. in the final at the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles.

"I think the players did a fantastic job; sitting on the bench I didn't have any worries."

Britain grabbed its fourth sailing gold medal and a record-breaking sixth in total when Iain Percy and Andrew Simpson conquered rough conditions to win the star class, while the title in the tornado class went to Spanish duo Fernando Echavarri and Anton Paz.

The spotlight will be back to athletics competitions in the evening, with another showdown between Jamaican and U.S. sprinters looming at the Bird's Nest stadium.

After Usain Bolt stunned a field of American sprinters to make a rare golden double in men's 100m and 200m, the Jamaican trio of Veronica Campbell-Brown, Kerron Stewart, Sherone Simpson are hoping to match the feat by winning the 200m to add to the 100m title. The United States also has three representatives in the 200m dash - Allyson Felix, Marshevet Hooker, Muna Lee.

As China's defending champion Liu Xiang has pulled out of the 110m hurdles race, Cuban world record-holder Dayron Robles is heavily favored to win the title Thursday night.

There are 16 other medal events scheduled for Thursday, with golds being awarded in athletics, diving, taekwondo, wrestling, water polo, softball.

The semifinals and finals of the omen's and men's BMX biking events were postponed until Friday.

Source: Xinhua