Strong beach volleyball squad for Indonesia SEA Games

PETALING JAYA: The Malaysia Volleyball Association (Mava) will send a strong beach volleyball squad for the Indonesia SEA Games in Palembang in November, with top women’s pair Beh Shun Thing-Luk Teck Hua expected to deliver a gold medal.

Shun Thing-Teck Hua finished fourth in the Guangzhou Asian Games last year and were bronze medallists in the Laos SEA Games two years ago.

National coach Lim Poh Hong said that Shun Thing-Teck Hua “have what it takes to get into the final but they have be wary of Thailand”.

“The main threat for the gold medal is definitely Thailand as they beat Shun Thing-Teck Hua to the third place in the Asian Games last year,” said Poh Hong.

“We’re not too worried about the other teams. In April, there was an Olympic sub-zonal qualifying tournament which featured Singapore, Philippines, Indonesia and Malaysia and we came out tops.

“So it’s safe to say that Thailand will still be the team to beat and I’m hoping that our girls will rise to the occasion.

“Let’s hope they will be able to change the colour of their medal from bronze to gold this time.”

Besides Shun Thing-Teck Hua, the other women’s pair are Luk Teng Kee-M. Iswari. The men’s team will be led by Sukma gold medallists Kiew Chiong Ung-Rafi Asruki Nordin and Khoo Chong Long-Mohd Fitri Salim.

Shun Thing-Teck Hua and Teng Kee-Iswari have a heavy schedule ahead of them prior to the SEA Games as they will compete in five tournaments – the AVC Beach Tour Changsha Open, China (Sept 23-29); AVC Beach Tour Zhang­jiajie Open, China (Sept 30-Oct 4); Vung Tau Asian Women’s Tournament, Vietnam (Oct 5-10), Asia Pacific BV Tour, Palembang (Oct 11-17); and the FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour in Phuket (Oct 30-Nov 6).

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