By Jon Ackerman

Kerri Walsh Jennings owns three Olympic gold medals, one each from Athens, Beijing and London with Misty May-Treanor by her side. If she wins another this summer in Rio, she'll become just the fourth woman to collect four straight Olympic titles in a team sport. If she takes any spot on the podium, that fourth Olympic medal will make her beach volleyball's most decorated Olympian.

This is all IF she makes it to the Rio Games, though. A fourth straight Olympic appearance (fifth if we count indoor volleyball in 2000) is no guarantee, even for one of the sport's most iconic figures.

Entering 2016, Walsh Jennings and new partner April Ross sat 22nd in the provisional Olympic rankings. They need to be in the top 15 by June 13 for a spot in Rio. They also need to be one of the top two American teams; a country can only send two duos per gender. They're currently third.

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How did Walsh Jennings and Ross find themselves in this problematic position? Walsh Jennings' right shoulder.

The arm that has brought her so much fame and fortune was a pain in her side in 2015. Walsh Jennings dislocated her shoulder last May, and returned a month later to play in two more events before dislocating it again. She came back in late August, battled through three more tourneys, but then underwent surgery in September, the fifth right shoulder operation of her career.

Nonetheless, the seven FIVB tournaments Walsh Jennings and Ross participated in together last year count toward their Olympic qualification. They need five more events before June 13 to be Olympic eligible, but that shouldn't be a problem with 10 to choose from. 

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Health is the only thing holding them back in that regard. Walsh Jennings resumed practicing with Ross in late January, when she was only restricted in serving with her right arm. She began that motion again in late February.

So all that's left is to leapfrog one of the U.S. teams in front of them. Lauren Fendrick and Brooke Sweat are the U.S. female front-runners with 3,970 points (12th place overall), followed by Jen Kessy and Emily Day with 3,840 points (15th). Walsh Jennings and Ross are 830 and 700 points behind, respectively, with 3,140 points. 

A Grand Slam (400 points) or Open victory (250) – or any high finish coupled with some lackluster results from the other pairs – would close the gap in a hurry.

Walsh Jennings and Ross are certainly capable of big points. They didn't win any tournaments in their shortened season last year, but did finish fifth or better four times. In 2014, the duo was fifth or better in seven of 10 events, and won four times.

If they can quickly return to that form, it won't be a matter of IF Walsh Jennings and Ross can obtain an Olympic berth. It'll be a matter of when.

And that's exactly how things are beginning to play out. Walsh Jennings and Ross returned to action earlier this month, winning the Rio Grand Slam on Copacabana Beach with a perfect 7-0 run through the tournament. The duo did not have to face either of Brazil's Olympic pairs, Larissa and Talita and Agatha and Barbara, who were eliminated before the semifinals, but managed to notch their first victory together since the World Series of Beach Volleyball in July 2014.

The victory moved Walsh Jennings and Ross up to 15th in the world rankings, but more importantly, one spot ahead of Jennifer Kessy and Emily Day as the second U.S. team.