suspected to be a foot abscess which turned out to be a

Sand, sun and samba.Even on a royal parade ground in the middle of staid London, the Olympic beach volleyball competition four years ago pulsated to the music of a DJ while dance teams jiggled during the breaks. When the Summer Games sexiest sport opens in Rio de Janeiro, the biggest competition for the party atmosphere inside the venue could come from the surrounding Copacabana Beach.Although the sport was invented in Southern California, its spiritual home could be the stretch of sand in Brazil where a temporary 12,000-seat stadium will welcome the worlds top players. Among the favorites are the hometown teams, including two Brazilian womens tandems that will try to stop American Kerri Walsh-Jennings in her attempt at a fourth straight gold medal.Here are some things to look for from the Olympic beach volleyball venue on Copacabana Beach, where music and passion are always the fashion:HER NAME IS KERRIA three-time defending Olympic champion, Walsh Jennings will turn 38 during the Rio Games. Her path to a fifth Olympics -- she also went to Sydney with the American indoor volleyball team -- has been more of a struggle than years past because of a separated right shoulder that twice interrupted the path to qualification.Walsh Jennings says shes healthy now, and since returning from shoulder surgery she and partner April Ross have steadily moved up the rankings on the international tour. They will arrive in Rio as a No. 3 seed, behind the two Brazilian teams.AND WHILE SHE TRIED TO BE A STARWhen longtime partner Misty May-Treanor retired after the London Games, Walsh Jennings looked across the net to grab Ross off the team they beat in the gold medal match.Ross, 34, brings a little more youth to the partnership, but she still has Olympic experience. She was three-times voted the FIVB tours best server, and she has also earned top honors for her hitting and her offense.But there was also a problem in the new pairing: Both Ross and Walsh Jennings were accustomed to playing on the left side. Walsh Jennings volunteered to make the switch.AT THE COPABrazil is the most decorated nation in Olympic volleyball history, winning 11 of the 30 total medals since the sport was added to the Summer Games program in 1996. (The United States has nine.)But the Brazilians have only claimed two golds -- one each in mens and womens -- despite dominating the international tours that determine Olympic qualification. (The U.S. has six of a possible 10.)This year, the defending womens world champions Agatha and Barbara were second in the rankings only to the pairing of 2012 bronze medalist Larissa and 2008 fourth-place finisher Talita. On the mens side, Alison and Bruno bring a No. 1 seed and a world championship to their hometown, while fourth-ranked Pedro and Evandro could use the home-town advantage to step onto the medal podium.THEY WERE YOUNG AND THEY HAD EACH OTHERWalsh Jennings and Ross arent the only Americans with new partners.Two-time Olympian Jake Gibb is back, this time with newcomer Casey Patterson. And Phil Dalhausser, who won gold in Beijing and finished ninth in London with Todd Rogers, is paired up with Olympic rookie Nick Lucena.The only tandem of first-timers is the second U.S. womens team, with Brooke Sweat and Lauren Fendrick making their Olympic debut.THEY USED TO HAVE A SHOWDefending mens champions Julius Brink and Jonas Reckermann of Germany wont be back.Reckermann retired five months after the London Games due to back and shoulder injuries. Brink teamed up briefly with former training partner Sebastian Fuchs before calling it quits.Also sitting this one out: Five-time Olympian and three-time medalist (one of each) Emanuel, who won silver in London with Alison.It will be the first time there will be an Olympic beach volleyball tournament without him.---Follow Jimmy Golen on Twitter at: http://www.twitter.com/jgolen . Wholesale Yeezy Boost . With his new coach and six-time Grand Slam singles champion Boris Becker watching him during an official match for the first time, Djokovic appeared tentative early against the Slovakian player, who often appeared content to keep the ball in play. Cheap Yeezys Real . Q: Team Canada announces their Olympic roster three weeks from today. Who is general manager Steve Yzerman watching? LeBrun: Over the last 48 hours, hes taken in the home-and-home between the Dallas Stars and Colorado Avalanche with Jamie Benn and Matt Duchene being the obvious targets. http://www.wholesaleyeezy.com/ . Detroit and Boston are deadlocked, 1-1, and Tigers manager Jim Leyland could be forgiven if he was caught rationalizing instead of dissecting how his club could blow a 5-1 lead late in Game 2. Discount Yeezys . On Tuesday, Ottawa placed forward Cory Conacher and defenceman Joe Corvo on waivers as trade rumours swirl around the Senators. Wholesale Yeezy Shoes . Speaking to the Chicago Tribune at baseballs Winter Meetings in Lake Buena Vista, Florida, Boras called the former home of the Expos a "tremendous environment" for baseball. While her three-year-old stakes campaign was stymied by a worse-than-expected injury, Heartlings is ticking all the boxes to make a sound return to racing at four.Trainer Kerry Parker says she has put her injury issues behind her ahead of Saturdays Fugen Handicap (1200m) at Rosehill.Parker still holds Heartlings in the high regard which prompted him to run her in the Group One Vinery Stud Stakes, two Group Two races and a Group Three during the autumn carnival.While she failed to make a major impression on those races, the reason for her underperformance was originally suspected to be a foot abscess which turned out to be a more serious injury.She had to have an operation on a pedal bone in her hind foot, Parker told AAP.Its taken a while to get over that and re-grow that foot.Parker said the big-framed mare also had her fair share of issues with her knees bbut they appear to be solved.ddddddddddddather than set any major targets for the preparation, Parker said getting Heartlings back to the winners circle was his first priority.Its a little bit harder now shes a four-year-old, Parker said.When youve got a three-year-old filly thats bred like she is you can aim at an Oaks.With her two wins coming at 1400 and 1500m, Heartlings shapes as a horse who can build into her preparation.Shes not as wound up as she was first-up last time, he said.Shell improve on whatever she does Saturday.Heartlings is a $15 chance to resume a winner with Brisbane trainer Tony Gollan hoping $4.20 favourite Salmanazar can be his first Sydney winner since he established a base at Rosehill earlier in the year. 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