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.