US beach stars Kloth, Nuss didn’t need the Golden State. They’re going for gold at Olympics anyway

By JIMMY GOLEN The Associated Press

FILE - Kristen Nuss, left, and Taryn Kloth, of the United States, celebrate after beating Mariafe Artacho Del Solar and Taliqua Clancy, of Australia during the women's Beach Volleyball World Cup third place match in Tlaxcala, Mexico, Sunday, Oct. 15, 2023. (AP Photo/Fernando Llano, File)[ASSOCIATED PRESS/Fernando Llano]

PARIS (AP) — Kristen Nuss and Taryn Kloth are the first American beach volleyball pair to go for Olympic gold without any connection to the Golden State. California has been producing beach volleyball stars since the two-person version of the game was invented there 100 years ago. But the former LSU teammates resisted the pull to the sport’s California hotbed and trained in New Orleans. They say they had all the support they needed in Nuss’ hometown. As the second-ranked team in the world, Kloth and Nuss are medal favorites.