Who is Sara Hughes? Meet Kelly Chang's partner in the beach volleyball team touted as the gold medal favorites at Paris Olympics 2024

Sara Hughes and Kelly Cheng have dominated the beach volleyball world over the last couple of years. Having played together in youth competitions, they joined forces again in 2022. Favorites for gold at the 2024 Paris Olympics, Hughes and Cheng are widely considered the best in the sport at the moment.

Hughes started off her professional career in 2017 with Welsh Jennings, a three-time Olympic gold medalist. She predominantly plays as a defender and is a right-handed player. The 29-year-old achieved a career-high ranking of No. 2 in the world last year.

After partnering with Kelly Cheng in 2022, she won the World Championship in 2023.

The American pair will be the one to watch out for at women's beach volleyball in Paris. They reached the quarterfinals with a close win against Italy in the Round of 16.

Sara Hughes' family and hometown

Sara Hughes was born on 14 February 1995 in Long Beach California to parents Rory and Laura. She has two older siblings: a brother and a sister. Hughes’ mother was a former volleyball player, while both of her siblings also played the sport during their college career.

When did Sara Hughes take up the sport?

Hughes used to go with her siblings for volleyball practice, and during one of those visits, her peppering skills were noticed by a parent. She was then recommended to beach volleyball coach Bill Lovelace.

Hughes would officially start her journey into the sport at eight years of age. She was trained by Lovelace for the next seven years.

Sara Hughes' education

Hughes joined the University of South Carolina in the 2013-14 season and partnered with Kirby Burnham. She won the first NCAA Beach Volleyball Championship with the USC Trojans in 2015 and with her partner Kelly Claes.

The pair went undefeated with a 48-0 record. They would win two more NCAA titles.

Sara Hughes' biggest achievements

Having turned professional in 2017, Hughes has won numerous world tour titles, with the first one dating back to 2018. She has eight World Tour titles to her name, winning the event once every year since her debut except 2019.

With Cheng, Hughes won her first world title in 2023. A year before that, she secured the gold medal in the World Tour Finals in Doha.

The 29-year-old also has two amateur bronze medals to her name, which she won at the 2013 and 2014 U19 and U20 World Championships.