Chase Budinger and Miles Evans, the American beach volleyball duo, saw their Olympic dreams come to an abrupt end in the Round of 16 at the 2024 Paris Olympics. The pair were overcome by the formidable Norwegian team, Anders Mol and Christian Sorum, who are the defending Olympic champions. Budinger and Evans were defeated in straight sets, 21-16, 21-14, and had to come to terms with an exit earlier than they had hoped for.
Their journey to Paris has been nothing short of remarkable, beating the odds to qualify for the Olympics in June by ascending the points rankings. Budinger and Evans commenced their Olympic campaign with enthusiasm, starting off with a victory over a French duo. However, subsequent matches saw them falter against teams from the Netherlands and Spain, losing both encounters in straight sets.
A glimmer of hope reappeared during the "lucky losers" round, where Budinger and Evans managed to secure a crucial win against an Australian team, confirming their place in the Round of 16. This set up the match against the towering Norwegian champions, Mol and Sorum, who also clinched gold in the Tokyo Games.
Reflecting on his Olympic experience, Chase Budinger, who once played professionally for teams like the Houston Rockets, Minnesota Timberwolves, Indiana Pacers, and Phoenix Suns, shared his emotions candidly. "Playing in the Olympics, playing in this venue, will definitely be up there with some of my greatest basketball moments, for sure. My first couple of matches, stepping onto the court with 12,000 people cheering ... it was just an incredible atmosphere. Playing underneath the lights, underneath the Eiffel Tower, which was sparkling -- you can't replicate these type of memories that we'll have," Budinger said.
Budinger, who hails from Carlsbad, Calif., brought his athletic prowess from the basketball court to the beach volleyball sands seamlessly. Selected in the second round of the 2009 NBA Draft, his transition from professional basketball to beach volleyball has been noteworthy. After retiring from basketball in 2017, he found new life in the sand, teaming up with Miles Evans and quickly rising through the ranks.
Although their journey in Paris was cut short, their story remains inspirational. Budinger has often been open about the physical demands of professional sports and how he's managed his body to stay in top shape. "I'll be old as dirt. I've always said it's really up to my body. And I take it year by year of how my body's feeling," he remarked. "Right now, I can say my body's been feeling great."
The 2024 Olympics have been filled with memorable performances. Another American men's beach volleyball duo, Miles Partain and Andrew Benesh, provided a silver lining for USA Volleyball by advancing to the quarterfinals. They displayed stellar play, defeating Italy's Samuele Cottafava and Paolo Nicolai in straight sets, 21-17, 21-18.
With eyes set on future competitions, including the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics anticipated to be held in Santa Monica, there's a continuous drive for improvement and excellence within American beach volleyball. The seeds planted in Paris, coupled with the experiences and lessons learned, will undoubtedly fuel the competitive spirit of athletes like Budinger, Evans, Partain, and Benesh as they aspire for Olympic glory once more.
Budinger and Evans can walk away from the Paris Games with their heads held high, proud of their achievements. Their story is a testament to perseverance, adaptability, and the relentless pursuit of athletic excellence.