'I'm at peace'- Olympic beach volleyball champion April Ross reflects on retirement

American beach volleyball icon April Ross is stepping away from the sport she’s dominated for nearly two decades, closing out her illustrious career at the AVP Beach League Championship on November 9-10.

The Tokyo 2020 Olympic gold medalist is approaching retirement with a sense of peace and fulfillment, rather than sadness, confident that her career has reached a fitting conclusion.

Ross has been a defining force in beach volleyball, capturing a complete Olympic medal set over the course of three Games.

Her journey began with a silver medal in London 2012, her debut Olympics and a personal favorite in terms of experience and atmosphere.

Four years later, she stood on the podium again, this time claiming bronze in Rio de Janeiro.

The crowning achievement came at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, where Ross, alongside team-mate Alix Klineman, achieved the gold medal she had been chasing.

This final victory marked a satisfying end to her Olympic career, completing her medal collection.

Reflecting on her decision to retire, Ross shared that she no longer felt the emotional drive needed to compete at the highest level.

“I just didn’t have it emotionally,” she said via Olympics.com.

“I don’t want to put that pressure on myself at this point in my life anymore. Once I got to Huntington, I figured out, ‘I don’t want to put the pressure on myself to play at the level I would want to play at.’ I’m still at total peace with retiring. I don’t have a ton of sadness.”

Ross's journey from the indoor courts to the sandy beach volleyball scene was driven by her desire for control and independence.

She recalls her love for the game, saying, “I loved the fact that I could control my own destiny on the beach.”

Ross explains how traveling and competing as part of a smaller team allowed her the freedom to enjoy a more comfortable lifestyle, something that wasn’t always possible during her years playing with large squads.

Now, as she steps away from the court, Ross treasures the memories of her career and her medals.

With a remarkable legacy secured and the final chapter of her career drawing to a close, April Ross retires with a legacy, content with what she’s achieved.