Sioux Falls native ready for the Olympics

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) — A Sioux Falls dad is packing his bags for Paris.

Mike Kloth will be flying out on Friday to watch his daughter Taryn, who will be competing in beach volleyball during the Olympics this weekend.

Taryn Kloth, a Sioux Falls O’Gorman graduate, and Kristen Nuss have been playing sand volleyball together for the past four years.

This Saturday the two women will get to realize a dream come true when they compete in the Olympics.

The last time we talked with Taryn she told us she’s been waiting for this moment for a long time.

“It is the most surreal thing talking about something for so long and looking at it every single day on my phone, like, I see the Eiffel Tower with the beach volleyball stadium underneath it every single day and to know that’s a reality after putting so much time and effort into it, it doesn’t feel real and I don’t know when it will,” Kloth said.

“It’s here,” Mike Kloth said.

I sat down with her dad this afternoon who says winning the gold medal for Team USA is a strong possibility.

“I think their chances are real good; number two in the world, the number one, the Brazilians, is hopefully who we’ll have for a matchup a one versus two would be ideal,” Kloth said.

Kloth says they’ve beaten the Brazilians once already, but knows they’ll have to play flawlessly to beat them again.

He says Taryn, who is 6’4″ and Kristen, who is 5’6″, are best friends, roommates, and have a lot of chemistry.

“I’m not worried about the girls, they’ll leave it on the sand and I’m not worried about them at all, they are in good hands, well coached and self-disciplined, they’re ready,” Kloth said.

Kloth and Nuss are one of two USA volleyball teams competing.

Their first match will be on Saturday at 3 pm. Then they’ll play again on Monday.

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