Lausanne, Switzerland, July 29, 2016 – Phil Dalhausser is the one player competing at the Rio de Janeiro 2016 Olympic Games who knows what it takes to top an Olympic podium. He and former partner Todd Rogers won gold at Beijing 2008 to become the third USA team win Olympic gold.
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Dalhausser left it late to qualify for this third Olympic Games after he and Nick Lucena teamed up hallway through the Rio 2016 qualifying cycle, but they quickly went about winning medals and in the end qualified with relative ease through the FIVB Olympic Rankings.
The Swiss-born Dalhausser has long been recognised as one of the most dominant players at the net where his 205cm frame and long arms allow him to dominate his opponents. At 36 he has also acquired a wealth of knowledge and experience that along with his Olympic gold includes 2007 FIVB Beach Volleyball World Championships gold and the 2010 FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour title.
Competing at Rio 2016 will be fitting for Dalhausser, who made his World Tour debut alongside Adam Roberts at the 2004 Rio de Janeiro Open. However, it wasn’t until he teamed up with Rogers in 2006 that he began to make his mark in the beach volleyball world.
He will be eager to make up for a disappointing end to his and Rogers’ reign as Olympic champions at London 2012 where they failed to reach the quarterfinals. With his power at the net and huge experience, allied with Lucena’s prowess at the back of the court, he will confident of ensuring that Beijing 2008 isn’t his last experience of standing on an Olympic podium.