Melissa Humana-Paredes

Born in Toronto, Ontario, Humana-Paredes is the younger daughter of two Chilean expatriates, ballet dancer Myriam Paredes and volleyball player Hernán Humaña, who was part of the national team and later coached Canadians John Child and Mark Heese to the bronze medal at the 1996 Olympics.[4] Humana-Paredes started playing beach volleyball at the age of 12 and four years later, was already representing Canada internationally. She attended York University, majoring in communications while playing with the York Lions volleyball team.[5][6]

In 2011, she won a silver medal at the FIVB Beach Volleyball U21 World Championships with Victoria Altomare.[7] Years later, as Hernan talked with volleyball coach Garth Pischke, he learned his daughter Taylor wanted to join the beach volleyball scene and suggested that the two daughters be joined as a team. Both were trained by Child.[8] The new pair led Humana-Paredes to win the bronze medal at the World Under-23 Championships and be named the top female rookie in 2015 by the International Federation of Volleyball.

Humana-Paredes competed at several Grand Slam and World Cup events, reaching the round of 16 at the 2015 Beach Volleyball World Championships[8] and the semi-finals at the 2015 Pan American Games.[9] From August 23–28, 2016, she competed with Pischke at the Long Beach, California, Grand Slam.[10] Playing in Pool-A, they lost to Maria Antonelli and Lili of Brazil (21–11, 23–21), and April Ross and Kerri Walsh Jennings of the United States (21–16, 21–17) in straight sets. Playing against Carol and Ana Patrícia of Brazil, they won in straight sets (21–19, 26–24), placing them in 3rd in Pool-A.

Humana-Paredes and Pavan won the gold medal at the 2019 Beach Volleyball World Championships, defeating the American team of April Ross and Alix Klineman in straight-sets 2-0 (23-21, 23-21); for Canada's first medal ever at the event. This victory automatically qualified the Canadian pair for the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo.[3] They achieved further success on the FIVB tour that summer with additional tournament wins at the Edmonton Open in late July,[11] and at the Vienna Major in early August.[12] These FIVB tour wins were followed by success on the AVP tour, with additional championship wins over Ross and Klineman at both the Manhattan Beach Open in mid-August[13] and the Hawaii Open in late September.[14]

• Champion, 2019 FIVB Beach Volleyball World Championships - Hamburg (representing Canada, with Sarah Pavan)
• Champion, 2019 FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour Winner (representing Canada, with Sarah Pavan)
• FIVB Team of the Year 2019 (with Sarah Pavan)
• FIVB Best Defensive Player, 2019
• FIVB Best Setter, 2018 & 2019
• AVP Best Defensive Player, 2019
• AVP Newcomer of the Year, 2019
• FIVB Most Improved Player, 2017
• FIVB Top Rookie, 2014

• Melissa Humana-Paredes at the FIVB beach volleyball players' database
• Melissa Humana-Paredes at the Beach Volleyball Database
• Melissa Humana-Paredes at the Canadian Olympic Committee
• Melissa Humana-Paredes (Volleyball Canada)

Sporting positions
Preceded by  Larissa França and Talita Antunes (BRA)	Women's FIVB Beach World Tour Winner alongside Sarah Pavan 2019	Succeeded by Incumbent
Preceded by  Laura Ludwig & Kira Walkenhorst (GER)	FIVB Beach Volleyball World Champions alongside Sarah Pavan 2019	Succeeded by Incumbent
Awards
Preceded by  Heather Bansley (CAN)	Women's FIVB World Tour "Best Defensive Player" 2019	Succeeded by Incumbent
Preceded by  Larissa França (BRA)	Women's FIVB World Tour "Best Setter" 2019	Succeeded by Incumbent
Preceded by Sara Hughes	Women's AVP Tour "Best Defensive Player" 2019	Succeeded by Incumbent
Preceded by Maria Clara Salgado	Women's AVP Tour "Newcomer of the Year" 2019	Succeeded by Incumbent
Preceded by  Joana Heidrich (SUI)	Women's FIVB World Tour "Most Improved Player" 2017	Succeeded by  Mariafe Artacho del Solar (AUS)
Preceded by  Kira Walkenhorst (GER)	Women's FIVB World Tour "Top Rookie" 2014	Succeeded by  Taru Lahti (FIN)