Kristina May Explained

Kristina May
Fullname:Kristina Valjas May
Birth Date:2 June 1987
Birth Place:Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Height:188 cm
Weight:68 kg
School:Havergal College-->
College:University of Toronto
Currentyears:2011-16
2017
Currentteammate:Jamie Broder
Taylor Pischke
Nationalteam: Canada

Kristina Väljas May (Väljas, born 2 June 1987)[1] is a Canadian beach volleyball player. She qualified to compete (along with partner Jamie Broder) at the 2016 Summer Olympics.[2] They advanced to the round of 16 until they were eliminated, finishing in a tie for ninth place.[3]

Life and career

Valjas was born on 2 June 1987 to parents who both played varsity volleyball in university. Growing up, she competed in mountain biking and cross-country skiing. She is the older sister of skier Len Väljas. Like her parents, she played university volleyball for the Toronto Varsity Blues, before transitioning to beach volleyball, where in 2010 she became part of the national team.[4] Valjas formed a double with Jamie Broder in 2011, and went on to win NORCECA continental titles in 2013 and 2015.[3]

In April 2015, Valjas and Broder won an FIVB World Tour medal, becoming the first Canadian female athletes to do so.

In October 2016, she married John May, and adopted his surname.[5] In 2017, May started a new team with Taylor Pischke.[6]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Kristina May . FIVB.org . 2016-06-15 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20190128105429/http://www.fivb.org/EN/Beachvolleyball/Player_DataDB.asp?No=125322 . 2019-01-28.
  2. Web site: Hossain . Asif . 11 June 2016 . Three beach volleyball teams earn Olympic berths . Olympic.ca . . 16 June 2016 . Kristina Valjas . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20181130212516/https://olympic.ca/2016/06/11/three-beach-volleyball-teams-earn-olympic-berths/ . 30 November 2018.
  3. News: Kristina Valjas . Olympic.ca . . 2016-07-19 . 2017-02-21 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20181130034937/https://olympic.ca/team-canada/kristina-valjas/ . 2018-11-30.
  4. Web site: Toronto to Rio: Kristina Valjas hits the beach this week with hopes of an Olympic medal . Postcity.com . 2017-07-08 . 2018-02-17 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180217203130/http://www.postcity.com/Eat-Shop-Do/Do/August-2016/Toronto-to-Rio-Kristina-Valjas/ . live.
  5. Web site: Bio . KristinaValjas.com . 2017-07-08 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20170308044352/http://kristinavaljas.com/bio . 2017-03-08.
  6. Web site: CANADA’S TAYLOR PISCHKE OPTIMISTIC AFTER 0-3 START WITH NEW PARTNER . Volleymob.com . 2017-07-08 . Kristina May (formerly Kristina Valjas) . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20170217020939/https://volleymob.com/canadas-taylor-pischke-optimistic-0-3-start-new-partner/ . 2017-02-17.