The partnership between Olympic beach volleyball team-mates Nikki Laird and Mariafe Artacho del Solar was sparked long before the pair joined forces on the sand.
They went to the same high school in Sydney's upper North Shore although they were a year apart, and fell in love with the game on the same stretch of Manly beach.
Both played in local beach volleyball tournaments before coaches decided to pair them in 2013 for the way they complemented each other's techniques.
Del Solar has the speed and plays defence in the back court while Laird uses her height to be the blocker close to the net.
