RI favored for gold in men's volleyball at SEA Games
RI favored for gold in men's volleyball at SEA Games
Moch. N. Kurniawan, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Thailand, the acknowledged regional powerhouse for beach
volleyball, know that Indonesia will be no pushover in the 23rd
Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in the Philippines.
"I think in men's beach volleyball, Indonesia is still ranked
first in Southeast Asia, while we are the strongest team for the
women, but Indonesia are developing very quickly," Thai coach
Nantharit Nan said during the Swatch-FIVB World Tour in Sanur,
Bali, in September.
"It is very possible that the Indonesian men will win gold in
SEA Games beach volleyball."
National number ones Agus Salim and Koko Prasetyo and Andy
Ardiansyah and Supriyadi have been picked for training by the
Indonesian Volleyball Association (PBVSI).
Agus and Koko won back-to-back golds in 2001 and 2003, but
Andy and Supriyadi stamped their newfound authority on the
national scene during this year's Indonesia Open series.
After overcoming other local as well as international
competitors, the national pairings contested all four finals in
Yogyakarta, Semarang, Surabaya and Jakarta.
Andy and Supriyadi came out on top three times, including in
the series finale in the capital.
In women's beach volleyball, the duo of veteran Ni Putu Timy
Yudhani, 29, and Devota Rahawarin, 22, and tyounger pair of Iim
Mukadimah and Ike Prasetyowati are also in training for the
November games, with beach volleyball to be held in Bacolod City.
Nantharit said this country's players were blessed with many
opportunities to sharpen their skills.
"Indonesia has many beach volleyball competitions, not like
Thailand. This is good to help the pairs maintain their playing
level and to improve."
Timy, a 1997 SEA Games gold medalist and 2003 silver medalist
with different partners, said the women were expected to medal
although gold was not the absolute target.
"For us women, PBVSI only asked for a medal but it did not
specify gold, silver or bronze," she said, adding that defending
champions Kamoltip Kuna and Jarunne Sannok of Thailand were still
the favorites.
Thailand is also fielding two younger female pairs, Upa
Puklongploy/Usa Tenpaksee and Kasinee Godtalang/Arawan
Tongkamkak, for the regional competition.
Recent form suggests that Timy and Devota, who paired up in
2004, will be strong contenders for gold.
After sweeping all four legs of the Indonesia Open, they
reached the second round of the Bali event; the Thai pairings
were eliminated in the first round.
"You two have shown a world class performance," national coach
Slamet Mulyanto told them after their run in Bali.
As the final preparation for Bacolod City, PBVSI will send the
men's pairs to the World Tour in Brazil and Mexico from Oct. 19-
Oct. 29 and the women's pairs to the Asian Tour in Malaysia also
this month.