Beach volleyball has had some iconic venues at the Olympics but nothing will probably beat the foot of the Eiffel Tower, where the United States will look to extend their streak of winning a medal at every Games since the sport was introduced in 1996.
The Champ de Mars in Paris will host a temporary outdoor arena with one of the world's most spectacular monuments serving as a backdrop for the 48 pairs in men's and women's beach volleyball.
That is where the newly-crowned world champions Sara Hughes and Kelly Cheng, who dethroned Brazil, will look to claim their first Olympic medal and follow in the footsteps of American greats such as Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh Jennings.
May-Treanor and Jennings won three consecutive gold medals from 2004 to 2012, with the latter adding a bronze medal to her glittering resume in 2016.
Cheng and Hughes were the first pair to seal qualification for the Olympics when they won the world title in Mexico after teaming up in 2022 following unsuccessful stints with other partners.
