Jae C. Hong / AP

United States' Kerri Walsh Jennings, left, and Misty May-Treanor, celebrate after defeating April Ross and Jennifer Kessy in a women's gold medal beach volleyball match at the 2012 Summer Olympics, London, Wednesday, Aug. 8.

Jamie Squire / Getty Images

Silver medallists Jennifer Kessy and April Ross of the United States, Gold medallists Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh Jennings, and Bronze medallists Larissa Franca and Juliana Silva of Brazil celebrate on the podium during the medal ceremony for the Women's Beach Volleyball on Day 12 of the London 2012 Olympic Games at the Horse Guard's Parade on August 8, 2012 in London, England.

 From AP- LONDON — Misty May-Treanor danced on the sand and then off it, taking a victory lap around the court before leaving Horse Guards Parade with Kerri Walsh Jennings as the first three-time gold medalists in Olympic beach volleyball history. "Kerri and I, we want to go down as the best team in history," May-Treanor told NBC. "This is what we wanted." 

Extending their Olympic winning streak to 21 consecutive games, Walsh Jennings and May-Treanor beat fellow Americans Jen Kessy and April Ross 21-16, 21-16. The two-time defending champions fell to their knees and hugged as Ross' final serve went long on set point, then took the celebration to the stands. Click here to continue reading this story.

Follow @NBCNewsPictures

•Sign up for the NBCNews.com Photos Newsletter

Slideshow: Olympic Emotional Moments

/

Click for more from the 2012 summer games in London.

Launch slideshow

Kerim Okten / EPA

A view of the Horse Guards Parade Beach Volleyball arena as the sun sets over London while Ricardo Santos and Pedro Cunha of Brazil play Joshua Binstock and Martin Reader of Canada during a preliminary match at the London Olympic games, Aug. 1.

See more photos from Olympic Emotional Moments in our slideshow

View more photos from the London Olympics on PhotoBlog

Complete coverage on NBCOlympics.com