PARIS - Kelly Cheng and Sara Hughes played their initial beach volleyball match of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 in the presence of a special spectator.

The Eiffel Tower itself presided over the 21-16, 21-11 USA victory against Czechia’s Barbora Hermannova and Marie-Sara Stochlova, reaching skyward just behind the stadium’s northwest side.

“It's the best feeling in the world,” Hughes said. “I've never experienced something like that. And to see our family and our friends in the stands, USA chants throughout the entire match, it meant so much to us and we had so much fun.”

Cheng and Hughes, college teammates at the University of Southern California, reunited in 2022 midway through international competition. The pair won two national championships as USC Trojans in 2016 and 2017, and lost just four of their 151 collegiate matches together.

“I wouldn't want to be doing it with anyone else,” Hughes said. “And like chemistry, that unity, that communication, we have that. And to play on the world's largest stage together, it feels good.”

Cheng, the only returning Olympian on USA’s beach volleyball roster, is taking in her Paris experience as if it's her first time competing at the games.

“Tokyo was Tokyo,” Cheng said of the COVID-19 restricted Tokyo games. “I’m just taking this as a completely new experience…I’m just taking each day as it comes.”

Cheng partnered with Sarah Sponcil at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games and the two tied for ninth place in the women’s beach volleyball event. Now reunited with Hughes, and Beach World Championship title in 2023, the two hope to win gold in Paris.

The United States, having earned four of the last five gold medals in women’s beach volleyball, seek to earn another medal behind Cheng and Hughes. As they enter Olympic competition as a FIVB top-5 team, the duo has the swagger to return home with some hardware.

The matchup with Czechia marked the beginning of pool play for the USA pair, which hopes to finish in the top-2 of their pool to advance to the Round of 16. The Czechia team refused to be overlooked, however, as it traded punches with USA through the first set, forcing Cheng and Hughes into 12 ties. The American duo went on to score six of the first set’s last seven points, defeating the Czechia team 21-16 in set one.

Cheng and Hughes proved their rank in set two, outscoring Czechia 10-2 to end the set 21-11, and the match 2-0. Hughes served two aces for USA, and Cheng contributed a pivotal block point to put USA up 17-10, a decisive moment that gave the Americans the momentum to win the set.

Cheng and Hughes will play their next match on Wednesday against the home team, a French pairing of Clemence Vieira and Aline Chamereau. France sits at the bottom of Pool C after a loss to Germany on Sunday. Cheng and Hughes look to capitalize on an opportunity to add another win to their count as they pursue the Round of 16 by the end of the week.

“For Kelly (Cheng) and I,” Hughes said, “we’re here to represent Team USA. That’s what we want to do best. We proudly represent USA, and for all the opportunities we’re getting on this platform, [it] means everything.”

Cheng and Hughes shine under the night lights

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