Kerri Walsh Jennings Baby 'Changed Us,' Talks Competing Without Misty May-Treanor

By Emma Koonse, Christian Post Reporter Wednesday, June 26, 2013

Kerri Walsh Jennings is hitting the sand again after welcoming her third baby, but now the Olympic gold medalist has a new volleyball partner.

Last summer, Jennings earned her third gold medal during the London Olympics beside Misty May-Treanor.

Then, less than eight months later, the 34-year-old athlete and her husband Casey welcomed their third child, daughter Scout Margery Jennings.

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Now that life have settle down again, Jennings is ready to compete again. She will compete at the ASICS World Series Beach Volleyball in July 22-28 in Long Beach, Calif.

However, this time she will be competing alongside April Ross.

"She's a stud," Jennings said about Ross, according to USA Today. "I respect her so much. She's been my main competitor for so many years. She's driven me more than any other person so it's going to be so fun to partner up with her."

May-Treanor retired after she and Jennings won the gold in London.

Even though Jennings is no longer partnered with the retired athlete, she compared Ross to May-Treanor.

"It's kind of a lot like Misty," she said. "I had so much respect, but she was on the other side of the net. Then we got together and magic happened. I'm hoping and planning that happens with April."

Nevertheless, returning to the court without her longtime partner was difficult.

"It's been Misty and I for so many years," Jennings continued. "My first day on the beach, she wasn't there and I kind of shed a tear. But that's a beautiful thing. We had something so special that's never going to change. But this new partnership is such an exciting thing because I'm going to grow because of it, I'm going to be better because of it."

Meanwhile, Jennings has also opened up about life at home with three children now.

"Life has been busy since London," she revealed while speaking to Us Weekly. "I had my third baby, my first little girl, Scout."

Jennings was unknowingly five months pregnant with Scout during the London Games.

"She's amazing, she's changed all of us, and it happened the first second she was here, it was awesome," Jennings continued of her 2-month-old. "She's smiling, which is a big deal. It's really sweet."

Furthermore, the busy athlete is set to appear in this year's "Body Issue" of ESPN The Magazine, on newsstands July 12.