American Teams Face Major Cut in Paris Olympic Beach Volleyball Tournament

PARIS, France — The American beach volleyball squad faced a challenging day at Eiffel Tower Stadium, leaving only one U.S. team in the women’s bracket. Taryn Kloth and Kristen Nuss fell to Canada in the quarterfinals, while Chase Budinger and Miles Evans were defeated by Norway in the men’s competition.

On the other hand, Miles Evans and Andy Benesh advanced to the elite eight, alongside Kelly Cheng and Sara Hughes. “Definitely a little heartbroken,” said Nuss, reflecting on their early exit. She highlighted their gold medal aspirations, noting that losing in the round of 16 was disheartening.

Brandie Wilkerson and Melissa Humana-Paredes beat Nuss and Kloth 21-19, 21-18. Wilkerson’s reputation as a formidable opponent was solidified again, having previously eliminated another U.S. team during the Tokyo Games.

In other matches, Spain defeated Poland in the men’s bracket, maintaining Pablo Herrera’s hopes for his first medal since 2004. On the women’s side, Latvia triumphed over Germany, and Spain beat the Netherlands.

Budinger and Evans lost in straight sets to Norway, the defending Olympic champions. Benesh and Partain then secured a victory over Italy’s Paolo Nicolai and Samuele Cottafava, advancing further.

Partain, the youngest U.S. Olympic beach volleyball player at 22, expressed admiration for veterans like Nicolai. “I’m really inspired by those guys,” he said, emphasizing the longevity of beach volleyball as a sport.

Veterans like Germany’s Laura Ludwig have already been eliminated, and aging players like Herrera and Nicolai contemplate retirement. “I have to be sure that if I started a new Olympic journey, that I’m ready to do it,” Nicolai stated, reflecting on the demanding nature of the sport.

Despite the mix of youth and experience on display, the atmosphere remains vibrant. “The crowd was always full and always crazy for the beach volleyball,” Nicolai noted, hopeful about the sport’s bright future.