Ben Hallock eyeing elusive Olympic medal with US men's water polo team

Ben Hallock won in high school in Southern California. He won in college at Stanford. He won as a professional at Pro Recco, one of the top water polo clubs in the world.

Hallock has won everywhere he has played except for the Olympics. And the 6-foot-6 center desperately wants to check that box this summer.

I'd throw every single medal away that I have now for a medal in Paris, Hallock said. Without a doubt.

Paris has just about arrived for Hallock and a U.S. men's team looking for the program's first medal since it won silver in 2008. The U.S. faces Italy on the first day of men's group play on Sunday.

To get back on the podium, to somehow stay in contention into the final days of the grueling tournament, the U.S. is going to need more from the talented Hallock than it has ever seen before. And perhaps more importantly, more from Hallock's teammates.

I mean I think it just always goes back to details, said Hallock, 26. I've played the sport for a long time, and the small details