Kiraly Is Out of Huntington Beach

You could hear it in his short, choppy sentences. The only three-time gold-medalist in Olympic volleyball history was frustrated. Angry, even.

Karch Kiraly was supposed to make his return Saturday at the Huntington Beach Open, capping his rehabilitation from a dislocated shoulder he suffered last August while trying to qualify for a fourth Olympics.

But he aggravated a week-old calf injury Thursday and will pull out of the already thin tournament, the second stop of the Assn. of Volleyball Professionals tour.

“It’s been far too long since I’ve played in a tournament,” Kiraly said. “It’ll have to wait until next month.”

Kiraly, 40, initially targeted his return for last weekend’s Hermosa Beach Open, but strained his left calf muscle a few days before the tournament and had to withdraw.

With several of the top men’s teams playing in an international tournament in Spain, Kiraly was expected to be the main attraction this weekend.

But he said he won’t play until July 13-15 in Muskegon, Mich., the third of eight AVP tournaments.

Mike Whitmarsh and Canyon Ceman will be the top-seeded team at Huntington Beach. The main draw is Saturday and Sunday.

Qualifying rounds begin today for the tournament, one of three AVP events without a women’s division.