April Ross embraces journey as she chases gold in Rio Olympics
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The more trips to Rio de Janeiro April Ross takes, the more it starts to feel like home.
From the cool breeze on Copacabana coast to the beach volleyball fans who pack the stands, the 2012 Olympic silver medalist said it felt great playing in Rio at the Olympic venue, having competed in Brazil in three tournaments throughout the last year. And she can’t wait to return.
“I love the conditions, I love the atmosphere, I love the location,” Ross said. “It’s definitely Brazilian, but it has a little bit of a southern California vibe.”
Most recently, Ross — a 33-year-old Costa Mesa, Calif., native — and partner Kerri Walsh Jennings claimed gold at the FIVB World Tour Rio Grand Slam in March during the Olympic qualification process. This weekend, the pair is competing as the No. 1-seed in the AVP Huntington Beach Open, which runs through Sunday.
The top 15 teams on the Olympic Rankings as of June 13 will automatically earn a trip to Rio — with no more than two teams per country — and Ross and Walsh Jennings are currently sixth overall in the provisional rankings and No. 1 in the U.S.
“Truly every intangible on the checklist of what it takes to be great and what it takes to be a champion April has,” Walsh Jennings said, adding that Ross’ daily enthusiasm, kindness and support empower her.
In the 2012 London Olympics, Walsh Jennings won her third consecutive gold with then-partner Misty May-Treanor after defeating Ross and Jen Kessy in the final.
Expected to make her second Olympic appearance this summer, Ross said other than keeping her eye on gold, she’s taking a different approach this time around. She wants to focus more on appreciating the experience and the rewarding feeling of competing as an Olympian.
“One of my biggest things is enjoying the journey,” she said. “There’s no point in doing this if you’re not going to look back on it and say, ‘Oh, that was really fun.’”
But Ross’ journey into Olympic qualifying territory hasn’t been perfect.
After Walsh Jennings had surgery on her right shoulder in September, the pair didn’t train together until the third week of January. While her partner recovered, Ross concentrated on herself, including taking nearly two months off from volleyball in the fall and solely training in the gym.
Waiting for her partner’s return, Ross said the hardest part was embracing the uncertainty of their situation, not knowing exactly how much harder they would have to work to get to the Olympics this time.
They were ranked 22nd overall and third in the U.S. headed into the Rio Grand Slam, fighting against the clock to guarantee an Olympic berth. But Walsh Jennings said she “literally had no doubt” they would qualify.
“I knew that if we had to play in every single tournament and we had to win every single tournament, I had faith that we would win,” Walsh Jennings said. “That was the worst, most challenging case scenario, but we put ourselves in a position — even with the injury last year — to qualify with ease.”
Honesty has been key for the duo in climbing the rankings and handling Walsh Jennings’ recovery, and they’re mutually open with each other about any concerns.
So as Ross looks to claim her first Olympic gold, engaging with Walsh Jennings to improve their already-strong team chemistry and hitting the basics hard are at the top of her priorities. It’s what she says has been a change in philosophy over the years.
“We do the best that we can with the situation we’re in,” Ross said. “And if you embrace everything you’re faced with, it’s just going to help you grow and it’s going to help you become better.”
