Beach volleyball at 2024 Paris Olympics: How it works, Team USA stars, what else to know

Here's what you need to know about beach volleyball at the 2024 Paris Olympics .

When did beach volleyball become an Olympic sport?

Beach volleyball made its Olympic debut in 1996. The sandy sport has been a hit ever since.

At the Paris Games, the beach volleyball players will compete in 14,000-seat Champ-de-Mars Park with the Eiffel Tower in the background.

How does Olympic beach volleyball work?

Each team has two players and the first team to win two sets wins the match. To win a set, it’s the first team to 21 points by at least a two-point margin. A tie-breaking third set is played to 15 points, still by at least a two-point margin.

The competition will include 24 women and 24 men, with six pools of four teams. The pool winners, pool runners-up and two best third-ranked teams advance to the Round of 16. The remaining four third-place teams will get a chance to stay alive in a “lucky loser" round.

Who are the top Team USA athletes in beach volleyball?

Newsflash: Beach volleyball stars don’t have to grow up on the beach. Taryn Kloth of South Dakota and Kristen Nuss of New Orleans are ranked No. 2 in the world and they'll be making their Olympic debut. The United States also has the world's third-ranked team in Kelly Cheng and Sara Hughes.

Former NBA player Chase Budinger and Miles Evans are longshots to win a medal but figure to get plenty of air time.

What’s the international landscape in beach volleyball?

Sweden has the top-ranked men’s team in David Ahman and Jonatan Hellvig. The pair of 22-year-olds have perfected the so-called Swedish Jump Shot, which allows them to attack on the second touch rather than waiting on the third touch. Brazil's Ana Patricia Ramos and Duda Lisboa are the top-ranked women.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Beach volleyball at 2024 Paris Olympics: How it works, Team USA stars, what else to know