By Jimmy Golen, Associated Press

On their left was the United States, the birthplace of beach volleyball and the most successful country in its Olympic history. To their right was one of two Brazilian women's teams to reach the medal round on their home sand at Copacabana beach, the sport's spiritual home.

But there on the top step of the medal podium were Germany's Laura Ludwig and Kira Walkenhorst, claiming the second straight Olympic gold medal for their homeland and establishing it as a power in the beach volleyball world.

"I'm speechless," Ludwig said after the 21-18, 21-14 victory over Brazil's reigning world champions on Wednesday night.

Four years after the German men claimed the country's first Olympic beach volleyball title, Ludwig and Walkenhorst beat the reigning world champions from Brazil to give the country its first women's beach volleyball medal.

"My feeling was, 'If they can do it, we can do it,'" said Ludwig, who finished fifth in 2012 and was in the stands for the men's final in London. "It's a pity because never in a big tournament have we (German women) had this success. But, also: happy because we are the first."

Agatha and Barbara took silver just hours after Americans Kerri Walsh Jennings and April Ross beat Brazil's other women's team. Larissa and Talita lost in the semifinals to the Germans, spoiling the hosts' hopes for an all-Brazilian final.

"We would have liked a final with the Brazilians. It would have been very beautiful," Agatha said. "But the Germans deserved the final, and they deserved the medal."

With top-seeded Alison and Bruno in the men's final against Italy on Thursday, the hosts have clinched no worse than a silver, with a chance for its first gold since 2004.

"Of course, we wanted to win the match. But we are very proud about the medal. I think all Brazilians are proud about this medal," Agatha said. "We have one medal and we must be happy with the silver. We have one more chance with the men."

The Americans in the crowd seemed to all stick around for the medal ceremony that started after 1 a.m. local time. And the Germans waving their tricolor flag were just as loud when their women were presented with the gold.

But many Brazilians began heading for the exits during the final points in the championship match — it was late, and anyway it was a disappointing night for the host nation with two losses in as many matches.

The German women had never won a medal in beach volleyball. The country's men hadn't reached the Olympic podium since a bronze on Bondi Beach in Sydney in 2000 until Julius Brink and Jonas Reckermann took gold in London, beating Brazil in the final.

But Ludwig and Walkenhorst pulled away midway through the first set and played better in a wind that picked up during the night.

"We said, 'We'll take the storm and make our own storm,'" Ludwig said.

USA Rebounds to Win Gold

Devastated. Unable to sleep. Cursing and crying and blaming herself after falling short of her goal to win a fourth consecutive Olympic gold medal.

Staggered by her first-ever loss at the Summer Games, behind by one set in the bronze medal match and trailing in the second, Kerri Walsh Jennings pulled herself together on the Copacabana sand to become the most-decorated beach volleyball player in the sport's Olympic history.

"It's crazy what 24 hours can do," Walsh Jennings said after she and April Ross beat Brazil's Talita and Larissa 17-21, 21-17, 15-9 on Wednesday night. "This is a highlight of my athletic career, without a doubt."

Walsh Jennings struggled with her passing throughout the medal round, including on Tuesday night when the pair lost to Brazil's second-seeded team. But the three-time champion delivered a pair of blocks for the final two points to clinch the bronze.

After hugging their opponents, Walsh Jennings slapped hands with some courtside volunteers and then found a U.S. cheering section in the corner of the 12,000-seat arena built on the beach that serves as the sport's spiritual home.

Wrapping themselves in an American flag, the partners gave each other another long embrace.

"Devastating is a pretty huge word, but it pretty much captures how I felt last night," Walsh Jennings said. "We came here to be our best, and I was subpar."

The victory left Walsh Jennings with three gold medals and a bronze, breaking a tie with former partner Misty May-Treanor as the most successful player in Olympic beach volleyball history.

"I think she's the best player that we have for beach volleyball for all (time)," Talita said. "If you ask everybody, everybody will say 'Kerri.'"

With the win, the Americans avoided a medal shutout in a sport it invented and — with Brazil — has dominated since beach volleyball was added to the Olympics in 1996.

The United States have won six of a possible 12 gold medals in the sport and 10 overall. Brazil has clinched 13 medals — only two gold, with a chance to add two more in Rio.

But with her perfect Olympic record — Walsh Jennings and May-Treanor only lost one set while sweeping to three gold medals — the loss on Tuesday night left the three-time champion in a funk.

Walsh Jennings and Ross said neither of them slept after losing to Brazil's other team in the semifinal; for Walsh Jennings, it was her first loss in 27 Olympic matches. It got worse as the night went on.

It wasn't until she and Ross arrived at the venue Wednesday and got a pep talk from coach Marcio Sicoli that they were able to refocus on the competition.

"He said, 'This is all about you guys,'" she said, adding that he talked about their children and their families and all the people who have supported them. "He hit the heart. He made it about being your best."

Ross, who earned silver in London, said the bronze medal game is "the hardest match to play in sports."

"One team is going home empty-handed, and the other is going home with an Olympic medal," she said.

Brazil's loss still leaves the home country with two beach volleyball medals on home sand.

Agatha and Barbara lost to Germany in the women's championship in the late match, earning the silver. Alison and Bruno were in the men's gold medal match against Italy on Thursday.