For women and men, 24 teams each qualified for the Olympic tournament. Since the beginning of 2003, the teams have been able to collect points for the ranking list at championships and tournaments. The best results of each pair are included in the scoring, with only the best of the two continental championships held during the qualifying period counting. The ranking was closed on July 20, 2004.
The teams in the first 24 places were qualified. However, only two pairs were rated per nation. Greece and every continental association had a place to start. If a continent or China is not represented in the top 24, the best team of the respective continent or the best Greek couple moved into the main field instead of the team in 24th place in the ranking. If several participants moved up in this way, the higher positions were replaced accordingly.
mode
The mode was the same for women and men.
The 24 qualified teams initially competed in six groups of four teams each. The first two teams in each group and the four best thirds in the group qualified for the round of 16. Then the knockout system continued until the final. The games were played August 15-25 at the Olympic Beach Volleyball Center in the Faliro Coastal Zone Olympic Sports Complex .
Schedule men
Preliminary round
The two German duos took first place in groups B and D. The Swiss duos were equally successful. Heuscher / Kobel won group E and the Laciga brothers qualified in group C as second in the table. In this group both Austrian teams were eliminated. In addition to the Germans and Swiss, Brazil and Australia each brought two teams to the round of 16.
The German duo Dieckmann / Reckermann were eliminated in the round of 16 against the US team Holder / Metzger. The other German team Dieckmann / Scheuerpflug first won against the Australians Schacht / Slack and then lost in the quarter-finals to the second Australian duo Prosser / Williams. The two Swiss teams both failed because of the eventual winner Ricardo / Emanuel: the Laciga brothers in the quarter-finals, Heuscher / Kobel in the semi-finals. The latter eventually won the bronze medal against Prosser / Williams.
Round of 16 20./21. August
Quarterfinals August 22nd
Semi-finals August 23
Final August 25th
Brazil
Ricardo / Emanuel
2
Norway
Kjemperud / Høidalen
1
Brazil
Ricardo / Emanuel
2
Switzerland
Laciga / Laciga
0
Brazil
Benjamin / Márcio Araújo
1
Switzerland
Laciga / Laciga
2
Brazil
Ricardo / Emanuel
2
Switzerland
Heuscher / Kobel
1
Portugal
Maia / Brenha
0
Switzerland
Heuscher / Kobel
2
Switzerland
Heuscher / Kobel
2
United States
Holdren / Butcher
0
United States
Holdren / Butcher
2
Germany
Dieckmann / Reckermann
1
Brazil
Ricardo / Emanuel
2
Spain
Bosma / Herrera
0
Spain
Bosma / Herrera
2
Sweden
Berg / Dahl
0
Spain
Bosma / Herrera
2
Canada
Child / Heese
1
Argentina
Baracetti / Conde
0
Canada
Child / Heese
2
Spain
Bosma / Herrera
2
Australia
Prosser / Williams
0
South Africa
Rorich / Pocock
0
Australia
Prosser / Williams
2
Australia
Prosser / Williams
2
3rd place match
Germany
Dieckmann / Scheuerpflug
1
Australia
Shaft / slack
0
Switzerland
Heuscher / Kobel
2
Germany
Dieckmann / Scheuerpflug
2
Australia
Prosser / Williams
1
Schedule women
Preliminary round
The German women won their preliminary round groups C and E. The Swiss women, however, were eliminated without a win. Otherwise the teams from the USA, Brazil and Australia dominated.
Lahme / Müsch failed after a narrow defeat (19:21 in the third set) against the Italian duo Perrotta / Gattelli in the round of 16. Pohl / Rau, on the other hand, defeated the Greek team Koutroumanidou / Arvaniti and only had to admit defeat to the later bronze medal winner McPeak / Youngs from the USA in the quarterfinals. Their national rivals Walsh / May remained without a set loss throughout the tournament and won the final against the Brazilians Adriana Behar / Shelda.