Sydney, Australia, March 13, 2017-Australian Olympic beach volleyballer Taliqua Clancy has been ruled out of this weekend’s FIVB World Tour event at Sydney’s Manly Beach as she continues her recovery from injury.

Clancy teamed up with three-time Olympian, Louise Bawden, to finish fifth at last year’s Rio Olympics, but suffered a non-volleyball related injury in January which has set back her preparations for this year.

In the absence of Clancy, Bawden will team up with another 2016 Rio Olympian, Nicole Laird, for this weekend’s World Tour event, the biggest beach volleyball event to come to Sydney since the 2000 Olympics.

“It is obviously a great disappointment for me not to get to play in such an exciting event on our home sand,” Clancy said.

“We don’t get a lot of opportunity to take on the world’s best at home, so there has been a real buzz among the helloworld Volleyroos from the moment this event was announced.

“I have worked incredibly hard to return to full fitness, but unfortunately time has run out for me for this weekend. I am hoping to be back on the World Tour very soon, but in the meantime I am looking forward to watching Lou and Nikki and the rest of the Volleyroos competing at Manly.”

Laird partnered with fellow Manly local, Mariafe Artacho del Solar, in Rio last year, where they lost their three pool matches.

Del Solar will also be returning to her home sand this weekend, partnering Queensland’s Jessyka Ngauamo, while 2012 Olympians Becchara Palmer, who went to London with Bawden, will partner another Queenslander, Phoebe Bell.

There will be nine Australian pairs among the 34 competing in the March 17-19 event, with teams from the UK, Europe, North America, Asia, the Pacific and Oceania taking part.

Canada’s Julie Gordon and Camille Saxton, who won last week’s World Tour event in Shepparton, will be looking to go back-to-back.

This weekend’s World Tour event kicks off Volleyfest 2017, 10 days of beach volleyball at Manly Beach that also includes a four nation men’s invitational, and the Australian Beach Volleyball tour finals.