WHEN: Sept. 16-26.

 MEDALS: Men's and women's two-player team competitions.

 OUTLOOK: Making its second Olympics appearance after debuting at Atlanta in 1996. Unlike indoor volleyball, points are only scored by serving team. Brazil has provided the early standard in the men's and women's divisions. The United States and Australia are also top women's contenders, while Argentina and Switzerland join Brazil atop the men's field. Only one of the four gold medalists from Atlanta, Brazil's Sandra Pires, will compete in Sydney. Karch Kiraly, the only volleyball player to win three Olympic gold medals -- two indoors for the United States in 1984 and 1988, along with the first men's beach gold medal -- was poised with new partner Adam Johnson to qualify. But Kiraly, 39, injured his right shoulder at the final qualifying event in Belgium and could miss the games.