Beach Pro Tour News And Updates | Volleyball World

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April and Alix will reunite after almost three years

A few months short of the three-year anniversary of their victory at the Tokyo Olympics, in 2021, American superstars April Ross and Alix Klineman announced they will be back together on a beach volleyball court this summer.

The announcement of the return of the A-Team was made public in a joint Instagram post made by the two, which showed some of the highlights of their first stint as partners, between 2018 and 2021.

“Every morning the sun rises. Offering a new beginning. For me, Alix, and every athlete out there, it’s a chance to return to the sand to the game that we love. But this time, it’s different. We’re not just players, we’re moms. The court has always tested our limits, but nothing compared to the strength motherhood demanded. Yet here we are, molded not just by the game, but by life’s ultimate challenge. Stronger. Fiercer. Ready. This isn’t about just making a comeback. It’s about showing up, standing tall, proving that true strength lies in the balance of passion and responsibility. It’s about playing for these tiny eyes watching, dreaming. We stand on the sand as more than athletes. We stand as symbols of perseverance of every struggle faced, every barrier broken. For every mother, every parent, every person blending dreams into reality. This is more than a game, it’s a journey. A testament, a message to every soul out there,” the message said.

Alix, 34, and April, 41, have last played together at the 2021 FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour Finals, held in Cagliari, Italy, in October of that year. During their four years as partners, the Americans played in 26 international events, winning medals in 11 of them – six gold, two silver, three bronze.

Following their victory in Tokyo, the two stepped away from the sport to become mothers, but got to briefly play internationally with other partners in the period.

April, who gave birth to Ross last November, still got to play in the first two Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour events in 2022, pairing with Emily Capers at the Tlaxcala Challenge and the Rosarito Elite16, before taking a break. She remained involved with the sport during her pregnancy, coaching professional teams and also taking an assistant coach position at Concordia University Irvine.

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Alix played two tournaments with Hailey Harward in 2023

Alix, who delivered Theodore last June, has already made a comeback to international beach volleyball during the 2023 season of the Beach Pro Tour. The blocker joined Hailey Harward at the Paris Elite16 and the FIVB Beach Volleyball World Championship.

April and Alix didn’t set a specific tournament for their return and won’t likely have enough time to make a push to qualify for the Paris Olympics, but are expected to make a big impact on the Beach Pro Tour with their comeback.

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