Nakhon Pathom, Thailand, June 24, 2021 – Big names returned to strengthen their national teams in the FIVB Beach Volleyball AVC Continental Cup Finals, which will be held from June 25 and 27 at the makeshift competition venue in front of Mida Grande Hotel Dhavaravati Nakhon Pathom here.
Competition courts
The AVC Continental Cup Finals will be a federation-vs-federation competition, with qualified federations competing in the single elimination best-of-three format. In case of a tie after the first two matches between two federations, a “golden match” will be used to determine the eventual winners.
Since the Finals will be arranged in a safe and secure environment with frequent COVID-19 testing in order to prevent the spread of COVID-19, all matches will be contested behind closed doors to ensure the health of all athletes, officials, control committee members and organisers.
AVC President Mrs Rita Subowo
On Thursday evening, AVC President Mrs Rita Subowo presided over the team briefing via Zoom meeting. She took an opportunity to talk about the current COVID-19 pandemic which has drastically made much impact on running the AVC’s activities and competitions and finally wished every team the very best of luck in the top-flight competition.
Mr Kritsada Panaseri, left, and Mr Songsak Chareonpong
Technical Delegate Mr Kritsada Panaseri and Referee Delegate Mr Songsak Chareonpong jointly chaired the team briefing, with team managers of all participating federations in attendance. Due to health and safety concerns related to the COVID-19, the meeting was held via Zoom meeting to help keep face-to-face communication a top priority for clear understanding of the teams’ seedings, rules of the games and match schedule.
Kritsada welcomed all teams participating in the AVC Continental Cup Finals between June 25 and 27 and wished them the best performance in the three-day competition, while Songsak confirmed on competition and refereeing matters.
Team managers attend team briefing via Zoom meeting
Eight teams apiece in the double-gender competition, which serves as the Asia’s last Olympic qualifying tournament, will contest the single elimination round. Only the winning teams (federations) in the men’s and women’s events will secure their berths for the next month’s Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games,
In the men’s event, eight qualified teams comprise Australia (champions at the recent AVC Continental Cup Semi-finals), China (East), Qatar (defending champions), New Zealand (Oceania), Iran (Central), Oman (West), Indonesia (Southeast) and Thailand (hosts).
The women’s competition sees Japan and New Zealand (respective champions and second place at the recent AVC Continental Cup Semi-finals), China (East), Australia (defending champions), Vanuatu (Oceania), Kazakhstan (Central), Indonesia (Southeast) and Thailand (hosts) vie for the top honour.
On Friday, June 25, third-seeds Iran and sixth seeds Qatar set up the curtain-raising clash in the men’s event at 8am local time, followed by the encounter between second seeds Australia and seventh seeds Oman at 10am. The third match at 1pm see top seeds China kick off their campaign against eighth seeds Indonesia, with hosts and fourth seeds Thailand taking on fifth seeds New Zealand at 3pm.
In the women’s event on the same day, hosts and top seeds Thailand will strut their stuff against old foes eighth seeds Indonesia at 8am in a final rematch of the 2019 SEA Games, while fourth seeds Japan challenge fifth seeds Vanuatu at 10am, sixth seeds New Zealand play third seeds Australia at 1pm and second seeds China take on seventh seeds Kazakhstan at 3pm.
Australia men’s team players
Australia sent a strong squad in the men’s event with the likes of highly-experienced players including Christopher McHugh/Damien Schumann, fresh from winning the AVC Continental Cup Semi-finals. The superb duo made their mark in 2020 by capturing the Asian Championship in Udon Thani, Thailand and the FIVB World Tour 2-Star event in Phnom Penh, Cambodia on the same year aside from handing hosts Australia the gold medal in the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast. Team-mates Maximilian Guehrer/Zachery Schubert also finished third at the 2020 Asian Championship.
Christopher/Damien
Their women’s teams also prove formidable, with Nicole Laird/Becchara Palmer capturing the 2019 FIVB World Tour 3-Star event in Sydney and 4th place at the World Tour 3-Star event in Edmonton, Canada on the same year. Team-mates Phoebe Bell/Jessyka Ngauamo winning their first World Tour event in 1-Star event in Daegu, Korea in 2018.
Australia women’s team players
The pick of the bunch in the China women’s squad are veterans Xue Chen/Wang Xinxin. Xue partnered Zhang Xi to win back-to-back Asian Games beach volleyball gold medals in 2006 and 2010 editions. The mighty Xue-Wang pairing finished 9th place at four FIVB World Tour 4-Star events in 2019 consisting of Moscow, Russia, Espinho, Portugal, Ostrava, Czech Republic and Xiamen, China.
Xue Chen of China
Team-mates Wen Shuhui/Wang Jiangzhe also made a perfect run in 2019 as they swept four FIVB World Tour 2-Star events in China on the same year comprising Zhongwei, Qidong, Nanjing and Nantong.
China also has its men’s team players to cheer about as two veteran pairings will be out to prove their talents. As China 1’s Gao Peng/Li Yang captured the AVC Asian Tour Samila Open in Songkhla, Thailand for two times in a row in 2018 and 2019 as well as the FIVB World Tour 2-Star event in Singapore in 2018, China 2’s Ha Likejiang/Wu Jiaxin clinched silver medal at the 2020 Asian Championship and FIVB World Tour 1-Star event in Anapa, Russia in 2018.
Gap Peng, left, and Li Yang of China
Iran rests high hopes on its two strong pairings, Bahman Salemi/Arash Vakili, who claimed gold medal in the FIVB World Tour 1-Star event in Bandar Torkamon in 2018 and silver medal at the World Tour 2-Star event in Qeshm in 2020, and Rahman Raoufi/Abohamed Mirzati, who toppled all challengers in the 2018 FIVB World Tour 1-Star event in Babolsar in Iran.
Strengthening New Zealand in the men’s squad are Thomas Hartles/Alani Nicklin, who finished 41st place at World Tour 4-Star event in Ostrava this year, and Ben O’dea/Sam O’dea, bronze medallists at the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, Australia, while their women’s side finished second at the recent AVC Continental Cup Semi-finals.
Furthermore, Oman and Indonesia in the men’s event and Vanuatu, Japan and Indonesia in the women’s division cannot be underestimated in the Finals.
Japan women’s team players
Oman’s Nouh Al-Jalbubi/Mazin Alhashmi finished fourth at two World Tour 1-Star events in Doha and in Salalah in 2019, while team-mates Haitham Alshereiqi/Ahmed Alhousni claimed silver medal at the Salalah event on home soil.
Vanuatu’s Pata/Toko
Vanuatu’s Miller Pata/Sherysyn Toko captured gold medal at the 2019 Pacific Games in Samoa, while Indonesia’s Dhita Juliana/Putu Dini Jasita Utami claimed bronze medal at the 2018 Asian Games in Indonesia and silver medal at the 2019 Penghu Open in Chinese Taipei.
Indonesia men’s pairings also proved a tough nut to crack in international tournaments, with Mohammad Ashfiya/Ade Candra Rachmawan claiming gold medal at the 2019 Penghu Open and silver medal at the 2018 Asian Games and Gilang Ramadhan/Danangsyah Pribadi taking bronze medal at the 2018 Asian Games and fourth position at 2019 Penghu Open.
Competition venue at night
Home fans still have their fingers crossed, hoping for the best that their players will make their mark on home soil despite the sturdy challenges from other opponents.
Meanwhile, since the competition will be held behind closed doors due to the COVID-19 outbreak, accreditation will not be granted for journalists and photographers to the competition venue. Competition updates and hi-res images can be downloaded free for use from AVC Official Website www.asianvolleyball.net or www.facebook.com/AsianVolleyballConfederation while live streaming can be viewed via this home page as well during the competition days.
Related links of AVC
AVC Website: click www.asianvolleyball.net
AVC Facebook: click www.Facebook.com/AsianVolleyballConfederation
AVC Twitter: click: https://twitter.com/avcvolley
AVC Instagram: click: https://www.instagram.com/avcvolley/?hl=en
AVC Youtube: click: Asian Volleyball Confederation
AVC WeChat: Asian Volleyball Confederation