There are plenty of stars that spark excitement among the fans while chasing their Olympic dreams in beach volleyball battles at the Eiffel Tower Stadium. But it’s a real treat for the beach volleyball connoisseurs to see another set of stars, former athletes that have already conquered their Olympic golds, at the fantastic Paris 2024 venue, giving back to the favourite sport in a different role as TV personalities. As many as four beach volleyball Olympic champions – Misty May-Treanor, Kerri Pottharst, Jonas Reckermann and Dain Blanton – can be seen at the premises behind the scenes, doing their media work and absolutely loving it.

With three gold medals out of four Olympic appearances, in addition to three FIVB Beach Volleyball World Championship crowns, USA’s Misty May-Treanor, together with Kerri Walsh-Jennings, is by far the most decorated player in the history of the sport. The distinguished American pair won gold at Athens 2004, Beijing 2008 and London 2012. At Paris 2024, 47-year-old May is a commentator for NBC.

“Because I love the sport of beach volleyball so much, it’s fun for me and entertaining to come watch these athletes,” Misty May told the FIVB. “Between the work with the broadcasters due day in and day out, it puts everything into perspective what fans were watching when Kerri and I were playing, or when Holly (McPeak) and I were playing, and just how athletic our sport looks. When you are playing, you zone it out. If you are in that specific optimal zone, everything’s a blur. But viewing it from the outside like I am able to do this Olympics, you feel the crowd’s energy. I’ve been playing a movie reel in my head all the time and I can only imagine when it gets to the medal ceremonies what I’ll be thinking. It gives me goosebumps.”

Just like everyone who has seen the Paris 2024 Olympic beach volleyball venue, Misty May is really impressed.

“I have to admit, I got a little jealous,” she said. “I was like, can I just rewind the clock about 20 years. The last Olympics for Kerri and me was in 2012 in what I thought was the most epic arena ever, and then you come to Paris and there is the Eiffel Tower… So I was like, gosh, if I could go back and play here. I mean, who wouldn’t want to play at this stadium? I am so extremely proud for where our sport has come. This is the hottest ticket everybody talks about. To see how the Olympics has put it in the forefront, it says a lot about the bricklayers before us.”

Also working for NBC, taking hot live interviews on the court, right after the matches, is Dain Blanton, another American, who has made that difficult journey to the top of the Olympic podium. The 52-year-old two-time Olympian triumphed at Sydney 2000, along with Eric Fonoimoana.

Earning the Atlanta 1996 bronze, Kerri Pottharst and her partner Natalie Cook wrote their names as the first Olympic medallists in the history of women’s beach volleyball. Four years later, the Australian pair climbed all the way to the top of the podium at Sydney 2000. Now, 59-year-old Pottharst, who also competed at Athens 2004, works at Paris 2024 as a TV commentator for Australia’s network Channel 9 in a tandem with Olympic champion in tennis Todd Woodbridge. She is also fascinated by her work place these days, the Eiffel Tower Stadium.

“We absolutely love the venue. It’s amazing!” Pottharst exclaimed. “It’s such a spectacle in the evening and compared to the Olympic Games that I’ve been at – I’ve commentated four – this is probably the best venue that we’ve ever had. Australia has one women’s and two men’s teams here. It’s been 20 years since we’ve had two men’s teams at the Olympics, so it’s fantastic to have lots of Australians in the draw.”

In 2012, Germany’s Jonas Reckermann & Julius Brink became part of beach volleyball history as Europe’s first-ever Olympic champions. Always busy with his work as a TV commentator for ZDF and towering at a height of 2.00 metres, it’s hard to miss Reckermann in the media centre at Paris 2024.

“It’s always great to work for beach volleyball. I love doing the commentary and explaining our beautiful sport to the people at home,” said 45-year-old Reckerman, also a 2009 world champion and a four-time European champion. “I always really enjoy my time at the Olympics. I was already in Rio and Tokyo and this here is my third Olympics as a commentator. And it’s always fun. It was always great, but I think this Olympics is even more special than the others. The first good thing is that we are in Europe now, so we have good time slots and the people at home in Germany and in the whole of Europe can follow the Games at good times during the day and not during the night.

“And the venue here is amazing! The whole atmosphere in the city is really great. It’s so great being here again, working at beach volleyball at the most iconic venue, with the Eiffel Tower in the back. With the atmosphere on the stands and everywhere, the people are just so happy to be here!”

Olympic Games Paris 2024 Beach Volleyball: schedule and results

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