Bali's Asia-Pacific volleyball meet opens

Bali's Asia-Pacific volleyball meet opens

Rita A. Widiadana, The Jakarta Post, Seminyak, Kuta

Bali Governor I Dewa Beratha is scheduled to open the Asia-
Pacific Beach Volley Ball Competition at Seminyak Beach in Kuta
on Friday.

Ten countries -- Australia, New Zealand, China, Hong Kong,
South Korea, Thailand, Japan, Singapore, Qatar and host Indonesia
-- will compete at the championship for the US$20,000 prize
money.

Hanny S. Sukarty, chairwoman of the event's organizing
committee, said all preparations had been completed.

"Everything is ready. We are just waiting for the opening of
the volleyball competition tomorrow (Friday)," said Hanny, who is
also head of the Indonesian Volley Ball Association's (PBVSI)
competition department.

Indonesia, Hanny said, would present three men's teams
comprising Agus Salim and Koko Prasetyo Darkuncoro, Supriadi and
Andy Ardiansyah, Markoji and Irilkhun Shofana.

Meanwhile, the Indonesian women's team also comprises three
couples; Ni Putu Timy Yudhani and Sitti Nurjanah, Riesma
Siswardini and Emerita Arisanti, Agustine Sineri and Niniek
Nuraida.

"The Indonesian team will take this championship as
preparation for the upcoming Asian Games in Busan, South Korea,
next September," Hanny said.

The Bali Beach Volley Ball Championship is one of the
competitions in the Asia-Pacific Beach Volley Ball Championship
series.

The last championship series competition was held in Yingkou,
China from Aug. 2 to Aug. 4. The New Zealand (NZ) Team -- Hayden
Jones and Kirk Pitman -- grabbed the first title.

The NZ team arrived in Bali last Wednesday. During the
competition in China, Indonesia's Agus Salim and Koko Prasetyo
Darkuncoro came fourth in the men's competition, while the other
Indonesian pair Andi Ardiansyah and Supriadi were ranked ninth.

Indonesia's Riesma Siswardini and Emerita Arisanti, Ni Putu
Timy Yudhani and Sitti Nurjanah, however, only came eighth and
ninth, respectively in the women's competition.