Thailand retains ASEAN junior volleyball title<\/p>\n
Musthofid, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Thailand confirmed its status as the strongest volleyball talent
\nmaker in Southeast Asia by retaining the ASEAN Men's Junior
\nVolleyball Championship here on Thursday.<\/p>\n
The Thai youths kept their unbeaten run intact en route to the
\nchampionship trophy, beating host Indonesia 25-16, 25-22, 22-25,
\n25-15 on the final day of the tournament.<\/p>\n
Thursday's match was a formality for Thailand, which secured
\nthe coveted trophy after Indonesia lost to Vietnam on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
The host team finished third behind Vietnam following the
\nsecond straight defeat. Vietnam ouplayed Singapore 25-13, 25-8,
\n25-12 in the other match on the day.<\/p>\n
As soon as the match was over the organizing committee offered
\na morale-lifting consolation to the home fans and the officials
\nof the Indonesian Volleyball Association (PBVSI) with the
\nannouncer saying through a a loud speaker about Indonesian senior
\nteam's turn-around result in its tour of Fukuoka, Japan.<\/p>\n
\"Indonesia beat Thailand 3-1 today (Thursday) in the Asia-
\nPacific championship in Fukuoka. Yesterday they beat Vietnam 3-
\n0,\" the announcer said to the spectators' cheers.<\/p>\n
Thai team manager Nateetong Sutham attributed his boys'
\nsuccess to a serious and lengthy grooming period, which started
\nas early as when they were aged between 12 and 15 years old.<\/p>\n
\"They have been working hard. I thank them for what they have
\nshown in the tournament,\" he said while savoring the victory with
\nsquad members in the center of the court after the match.<\/p>\n
Thailand was apparently unchallenged against Indonesia.<\/p>\n
After winning the opening two sets, coach Panurawan Sopol
\nexperimented in the third set with most of his perennial
\nsubstitutes given their chance of playing full time.<\/p>\n
They lost 22-25 before turning back to the starting line-up to
\nhold off Indonesia's mounting attack.<\/p>\n
The Indonesians looked to have run out of steam, taking only
\n15 points in the fourth set.<\/p>\n
But it was the game against Vietnam that coach Syamsul Jais
\nrued much.<\/p>\n
\"Everyone knows Thailand is stronger. We are no match for
\nthem. There was nothing wrong with our tactics. It worked as
\nplanned. It was just because the opponent was better than us,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
\"But against Vietnam, we should have won,\" he added.<\/p>\n
Despite the mediocre performance at the tournament, Syamsul
\nwas hopeful that his proteges would be able to go up further in
\nthe next three years.<\/p>\n
Thailand now looks ahead to a higher level when it competes in
\nthe Asian Junior Championship in Tehran next August, where
\nIndonesia looks certain to cancel its participation.<\/p>\n
Sutham hinted they would be seeking a fifth place in the event
\nwhen he said: \"At the Asian level we have the top four over us...
\nChina, (South) Korea, Japan and Iran.\"<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, PBVSI chairwoman Rita Subowo said that given the
\npoor result at the ASEAN level, the Indonesian juniors would not
\ngo to Tehran.<\/p>",
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