Misty May-Treanor

The queen of the sand along with partner Kerri Walsh, May-Treanor arrives in London trying to further her legacy as a three-time Olympic gold medalist in beach volleyball. The pair were ranked third in the world as of June 18 after failing to reach the quarterfinals in two of their first four events of 2012, but they did win their 39th FIVB title in Switzerland in July. This will be the fourth Olympic appearance for “The Turtle,” who finished fifth in Sydney in 2000 with Holly McPeak despite an abdominal injury before teaming with Walsh in 2001. The dynamic duo have put together staggering winning streaks in FIVB play, going 39-0 in 2003 and reeling off seven straight tournament wins from 2003-04 and a record 10-tournament run from 2007-08, capped by their gold medal win in Beijing in 2008 over the top-seeded Chinese pair of Wang Jie and Tian Jia to become the only pair to successfully repeat as gold medalists in beach volleyball. She and Walsh authored a record 112-match win streak that came to an end at the 2008 AVP Shootout to compatriots Nicole Branagh and Elaine Youngs. Shortly after winning gold in Beijing, May-Treanor tore her Achilles while preparing for the television show “Dancing With the Stars,” sidelining her for nearly a full year. May-Treanor is also a three-time world champion and lost in the finals last year in Rome. Perhaps the best to ever play on the AVP Tour, May-Treanor won Best Defensive Player six straight years (2002-08), Best Offensive Player for 10 consecutive years (1998-2008) and was a four-time MVP from 2005-08. She also is a two-time FIVB Most Outstanding Player, winning the award in 2005 and 2008.