Paris Olympics: What to know and who to watch during the beach volleyball competition

Leave a Comment / Olympics / By
BEACH VOLLEYBALL
FILE – Kelly Claes, of the United States, competes during a women’s beach volleyball match against Canada at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Aug. 1, 2021, in Tokyo. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana, File)

By The Associated Press undefined

A roadmap to follow for the beach volleyball competition at the Paris Games:

Athletes to Watch—Anders Mol and Christian Sørum, Norway: Mol had surgery in March to repair a broken bone in his left foot.

— Chase Budinger, United States: The 6-foot-7 former NBA player earned a berth with Miles Evans as the No. 2 U.S. men’s pair.

BEACH VOLLEYBALL
FILE – Minnesota Timberwolves forward Chase Budinger (10) shoots over Memphis Grizzlies guard Courtney Lee during the second half of an NBA basketball game Oct. 29, 2014, in Memphis, Tenn. Former NBA player Budinger is going to the Olympics — for beach volleyball. The 6-foot-7 Californian, who helped Arizona reach the Sweet 16 in 2009 before playing seven seasons with the Rockets, Timberwolves, Pacers and Suns, earned a berth with Miles Evans as the No. 2 U.S. men’s pair at the FIVB tournament Wednesday, June 5, 2024, in Ostrava, Czechia. (AP Photo/Brandon Dill, File)

—Kelly Cheng and Sara Hughes, United States: The reigning world champions are hoping to keep alive a streak of U.S. medals on the women’s side. Cheng could be the only American with Olympic experience.

—Taryn Kloth and Kristen Nuss, United States: Going to their first Olympics. Kloth is 6-foot-4 and Nuss is 5-foot-6.

Storylines to Follow—One of the Olympics’ most telegenic sports will bring its beach party vibe to the Champ de Mars, between the Eiffel Tower and the École Militaire, in a park that once served as the training grounds for Napoleon Bonaparte.

BEACH VOLLEYBALL
FILE – Norway’s Christian Sorum, left, and his teammate Anders Mol celebrate with the trophy after winning the beach volley final match against Brazil’s Renato-Vitor Felipe at the beach volley World Championships in Rome, Sunday, June 19, 2022. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini, File)

—There is a passing of the torch among the super-successful American women, who have won four of the past five gold medals. Misty May-Treanor is retired, Kerri Walsh Jennings is 45, and Tokyo champions April Ross and Alix Klineman each took time off to start families.

Key DatesThe preliminary rounds start July 27. The women’s gold medal will be awarded on Aug. 9, followed the next night by the men’s.

Reigning Champions—Men: Anders Mol and Christian Sørum, Norway.

—Women: Alix Klineman and April Ross, United States.