Britain discover Olympic opponents

Great Britain's Olympic beach volleyball teams have learned the identity of their first-round opponents for the tournament starting on July 28.

The women's team of Zara Dampney and Shauna Mullin have been drawn in Group F alongside Greta Cicolari and Marta Menegatti of Italy, Russia's Ekaterina Khomyakova and Evgenia Ukolova, and Marie-Andree Lessard and Annie Martin of Canada.

In the men's draw, Team GB duo John Garcia-Thompson and Steven Grotowski will also contest Group F, together with Brazil's Pedro Cunha and Ricardo Santos, Tarjei Skarlund and Martin Spinnangr of Norway, and Canada's Josh Binstock and Martin Reader.

Twenty-four teams will contest both the men's and women's events at Horse Guards Parade, with the pairings split equally into six pools of four.

The pairs play each team in their group once, with the top two advancing to the knockout phase along with the two best third-placed teams. The remaining four third-placed teams will then compete in play-off matches for the right to take up two remaining berths in the last 16.

The day-by-day match schedule for the opening round of pool matches will be released by beach volleyball's governing body, the FIVB, and LOCOG on Monday.