体坛英语新闻：Brazilian beach volleyball star Pires ends career on high note

RIO DE JANEIRO, April 21 (Xinhua) -- Sandra Pires closed out her career on Tuesday with a victory in her farewell game from the beach volleyball world.

    With set scores of 22-20, 21-18, Pires, alongside Talita to beat the American Branagh and Young, was able to end her career on a high note.

    The friendly match, held in the capital city of Brasilia, marked not only the city's 49th anniversary, but opened up the first stage of the 2009 World Circuit of beach volleyball.

    After the game, another Brazilian beach volleyball star Jacqueline, Pires' long-time partner and teammate who won the 1996Atlanta Olympic gold medal together with Pires, entered the court to pay homage to her.

    Pires and Jacqueline's gold medal in Atlanta was the first ever gold medal achieved by a Brazilian female athlete in Olympics.

    In her 15 years as a professional, Pires claimed titles of three World Championships (1995, 1996 and 2003), won the Brazilian Circuit twice (1995 and 1998) and the Queen of the Beach for three times.

    She was elected the best women's beach volleyballer of the decade of the 1990s by the International Federation of Volleyball. The 35-year-old now plans to enjoy her time off and return to study.