Roi Et, Thailand, June 18, 2025 – Thailand made an impressive start to their campaign at the 6th Asian U21 Beach Volleyball Championships, with two men’s teams securing consecutive victories on the opening day at Nong Ya Ma Community School, while top seeds Wichaya Wisetkan and Paphawin Manyahong breezed past Singapore’s Soon Daniel Wei Sheng/Eng Cheng Feng Renfred in straight sets to register their first win.
Thailand’s Supanai Uthaijaeng/Chaloemdet Bunrot got the hosts off to a promising start with a convincing 2-0 (22-20, 21-13) victory over Kazakhstan’s Klim Ryukhov/Vladislav Mastikhin in Pool G, before returning in the afternoon to comfortably dispatch Hong Kong, China’s Li Hoi Fung/Li Chun Lung C 2-0 (21-16, 21-13).
Compatriots Saiphirun Ruairung/Suranath Rattanapolsaen, silver medallists at last week’s SAVA U21 Championships at the same venue, followed suit with back-to-back victories. They edged past Singapore’s Fernando Rehan Tharusha/Sasikumar Ranjiv 2-0 (21-9, 22-20) in Pool D and later overcame Japan’s Misao Genda Ash-Lee/Takauchi Yushin 2-0 (21-11, 21-19) in their afternoon encounter.
Top seeds Wichaya Wisetkan/Paphawin Manyahong, fresh from winning the SAVA U21 Championships with remarkable unbeaten record, made light work of Singapore’s Soon Daniel Wei Sheng/Eng Cheng Feng Renfred with a commanding 2-0 (21-6, 21-17) win in Pool A. The Thai duo will next face Japan’s Reo Kashiwaya/Rikuho Kashiwaki on Thursday.
Australia also enjoyed a dominant start. Promising newcomer James Kay teamed up with Harley Sinclair to sweep aside Vietnam’s Phu Tho Bao/Nguyen Hoang Long 2-0 (21-10, 21-12) in just 26 minutes in Pool F.
The Australian pair followed up with a second straight-sets victory, beating Oman’s Al Gheilani Haitham Faraj Khamis/Al Hasni Alazhr 2-0 (21-16, 21-17) in 21 minutes.
Teammates Finley Bennett, who secured a podium finish at the FIVB Coolangatta Futures in March, and Ben Carroll also enjoyed a strong start, seeing off China’s Zhang Tai/Song Jinyang 2-0 (21-16, 21-19). They will next take on Kazakhstan’s Danill Sorokovskiy/Alikhan Agabek, who earlier suffered a 0-2 (8-21, 14-21) defeat to the Chinese duo.
In the women’s competition, Australia dominated proceedings on Wednesday, with both teams securing emphatic wins.
Matisse Conlon/Jolie Du Plessis triumphed over Hong Kong, China’s Leung Cheuk Yin/Wilson Halimah Zampaligne 2-0 (21-16, 21-18) in Pool G, while Cameron Zajer/Jasmine Rayner needed just 29 minutes to dismiss Japan’s Niko Morikawa/Waka Yada 2-0 (21-10, 21-12) in Pool D.
Conlon, a participant at the 2024 U19 Beach Volleyball World Championships, and Du Plessis, who made her international debut earlier this year at the Beach Pro Tour Futures in Coolangatta, will next face Kyrgyzstan’s Roza Rasulbek Kyzy/Aitbekova Aiturgan. Meanwhile, Zajer and Rayner will meet Uzbekistan’s Absamatova Zebokhon/Abdurakhmonova Gulyora on Thursday.
China experienced mixed fortunes on the opening day. Jiang Kaiyue/Zhou Mingli powered past Thailand’s Ainthira Bunprasong/Orathai Sembut 2-0 (21-12, 21-18) in Pool B, but Fan Yuhan/Dong Yindi were edged out 1-2 (21-15, 18-21, 10-15) by Japan’s Mori Mei/Usugi Noa in Pool C. Japan’s Niko Morikawa/Waka Yada also fell 0-2 (10-21, 12-21) to the Australians Zajer/Rayner in Pool D.
A total of 49 teams from 16 countries, including 26 men’s pairs, are competing in the 6th Asian U21 Beach Volleyball Championships from June 18 to 22. Beyond providing a valuable platform for rising stars in beach volleyball, the tournament also serves as a qualification event for the FIVB Beach Volleyball U21 World Championships, scheduled to be held in Puebla, Mexico from October 15 to 19, 2025.
The top five federations from this Asian U21 Championship will earn direct qualification to the World Championships, while an additional four federations will advance to the World Championships Qualification Tournament.
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