Bangkok, Thailand, April 8, 2022 – The official drawing of lots for the 31st Southeast Asian Games volleyball tournaments was completed on Friday, with hosts Vietnam pitted against title-holders Indonesia, Myanmar and Malaysia in the men’s Pool A.
The 31st SEA Games, a biennial regional sports extravaganza, will be held in Hanoi, Vietnam between May 12 and 23, 2022. However, the volleyball competitions will take place from May 13 to 22 at the 7,000-seater Quang Ninh Gymnasium in Quang Ninh Province, with a total of seven countries (teams) submitting team entries for the action-packed volleyball encounters at this year’s SEA Games.
Vietnam, Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand and Malaysia confirmed their participation in both men’s and women’s team events, while Myanmar and Cambodia set their sights on the men’s team only.
In the men’s competition, teams were drawn to Pool A and Pool B based on seedings in serpentine system according to the results of the previous 2019 SEA Games in Philippines and according to Article 12.7 of the Technical Handbook, while Cambodia, sixth at the previous edition, and Malaysia, which did not participate in 2019, would be drawn as the third team to Pool A and the fourth team to Pool B. Organisers Vietnam had the option to choose to be put either in Pool A or Pool B after the draw for all teams or after each draw.
Indonesia reign supreme at the previous SEA Games in Philippines
According to the results of drawing lots, defending champions and top seeds Indonesia are in Pool A together with fourth seeds Myanmar, fourth place in 2019, Malaysia and hosts Vietnam, while Pool B comprises second seeds Philippines, silver medallists at the previous edition on their home soil, third seeds Thailand, bronze medallists in 2019, and Cambodia.
Philippines, undergoing an intensive training in Qatar, prove a strong team to be reckoned with in Vietnam SEA Games
Indonesia are due to kick off their title defence campaign on Day 1 against Myanmar in Pool A, with Vietnam playing Malaysia. In Pool B, Philippines will face Cambodia, while Thailand will have a bye and start their first match on Day 2 against Philippines.
After completion of the pool round-robin preliminaries, only top two teams from each pool advance to the cross semifinals, while the remaining teams will play in classification rounds for 5th-7th places.
Perennial champions Thailand out to defend their SEA Games title in Vietnam this May
Meanwhile, the women’s event features five teams – Vietnam, Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand and Malaysia to battle for the top honour.
Following the SEA Games rules and regulations, reigning and 14-time champions Thailand, Vietnam, seeking their unprecedented tile at home this time after claiming 9 silvers at the previous SEA Games including one at the 2019 edition, Indonesia, champions in 1983 and bronze medallists in 2019, former six-time winners Philippines and Malaysia will play a single round-robin competition.
Perennial champions Thailand will have a rest day on Day 1 and play their first match on Day 2 when they are due to take on Philippines. On Day 3, the Thai squad will go up against Indonesia before setting up a highly-anticipated match against hosts Vietnam on Day 4. Thailand will take on Malaysia in their last preliminary match on Day 5.
Vietnam determined to win unprecedented SEA Games title on home soil
Hosts Vietnam are set to strut their stuff against Indonesia on Day 1 before taking a rest day on Day 2. They resume their second match on Day 3 against Malaysia, challenging Thailand the following day to end their first round campaign on Day 5 against Philippines.
After the single round-robin preliminaries, only top two teams will battle it out for the eventual crown, while the teams finishing third and fourth places will renew their rivalry in the third-place playoff match for bronze medal.
Related links of AVC
AVC Website: click www.asianvolleyball.net
AVC Facebook: click www.Facebook.com/AsianVolleyballConfederation
AVC Twitter: click: www.twitter.com/AsianVolleyball
AVC Instagram: click: https://www.instagram.com/avcvolley/?hl=en
AVC Youtube: click: Asian Volleyball Confederation
AVC WeChat: Asian Volleyball Confederation