Gold check, bronze check, new born … check!

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Pablo Herrera, pictured here at last year’s Poreč Major, will finally get to see his baby daughter this week after winning two medals in China. Photo credit: Tomislav Moze

Ever heard the story about the beach volleyball star who won two tournament medals before he saw his newly-born baby daughter? Well they say that good things come in threes and that’s exactly what Spanish hero Pablo Herrera will be thinking right now!

Why? Well the Olympic silver medalist and two-time European champion will finally hold in his hands something particularly precious after his wife gave birth to baby girl India, who was born on 4th April.

“Now I have a lot of work with fatherhood and training but we are very pleased at the arrival of our first child.”, says Pablo to the Swatch Major Series. “It has been difficult to play two weeks far away from home but in the first days of my daughter’s life my wife sent me pictures and videos all of the time. I’m very happy to dedicate my medals to my family.”

So while she was left holding the baby in Spain, Herrera and team-mate Adrian Gavira were toying with the opposition on the beach in China in the past fortnight, winning two very special presents to take home to their families.

The duo struck gold at the Xiamen Open, overcoming American hopes John Hyden and Tri Bourne, before battling to bronze in Fuzhou last weekend in a thrilling three-set epic with Latvians Aleksandrs Samoilovs and Janis Smedins.

“It’s been the perfect two weeks and we are very happy with our new member of the family,” a happy Herrera, who celebrates his 34th birthday during our Poreč Major in June, told us.

Gavira was as pleased as punch for his partner-in-crime on court. He added: “Pablo needs to see his daughter that he had two weeks ago and didn’t see her yet. So these two weeks were very tough for him. We won two medals and he earned it.”

Good things come to those who wait Pablo! Congratulations from everybody at Swatch Major Series!