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**truebluefan** · 04-15-2008, 01:05 PM

Thais Perform Well at Loma-Sang Som Asian Beach Volleyball Invitation

Thailand's Sitthichai Sangkhachot and Damrongrit Chantra punctured the invincibility of Indonesians Andy Adriyansah and Koko Prasetyo Darkuncoro with a stunning two-set win to cruise their ways to the men's semi-finals of the Phatthalung-Loma-Sang Som Asian Beach Volleyball Invitation at Lampam Beach on Thursday.

Sitthichai and Damrongrit, home team's No 3, were inexperienced tactically and technically compared with the champions at the last year's South East Asian Games and at the last week's Asian meet in Hyderabad. However, the Thai duo fared well to eventually defy against all the odds to beat the formidable Indonesians in straight sets 21-14 21-15.

"We had entered the match without any pressure as we knew where we stood compared to the Indonesians," Sitthichai said. "But we were secretly hoping to beat them," he added.

The giant-killers, who earlier defeated Kazakhstan B's Tkachenko Roman and Yussupov Maxim 21-9 21-17, next face New Zealand A's Greg Lindsay and Russel Watson in the Friday's semi-finals.

Thailand A's Borworn Yungthin and Sathaporn Sawangrueng beat compatriots Apichart Bualuang and Akkhadech Namno-rin 21-19 21-16 to reach the last four, where they will take on Iran's Azim Jazideh and Ebrahim Sansabali.

In the women's category, title-hotshots and reigning champs Kamolthip Kulna and Yupa Phukrongploy of Thailand A advanced to the semi-finals after defeating Li Yang and Hu Anna of China B 21-13, 22-20. The top seeds next meet China A's Zhang Dan and Ma Yuanyuan.

Thailand B's Jarunee Sannok and Usa Tenpaksee, who routed Vietnam A's Phan Thi Cam Hong and Huynh Do Hong Loan 21-11 21-10 in the quarter-finals, next play Tatyana Mashkova and Alexandra Turichsheva of Kazakhstan in the other semi-finals.

Thailand C's Maneerat Udomchawee and Jalalak Radarong finally tasted victory after powring past New Zealand's Micah Lindsay-Brown and Emma Preston 14-21 21-18 15-7 in their last Group D game.

**truebluefan** · 04-15-2008, 01:06 PM

Title holders Kamoltip Kulna/Yupa Phukrongploy from Thailand and Andy Ardiansyah/Koko Prasetyo of Indonesai both remained on the top of the Asian Beach Volleyball after defending their champion title at the 8th Asian Beach Volleyball Championship, which was held from April 3 to 6 in Hyderabad, India.

Top seed Andy/Koko, who crushed China's Gao Fangtian/Han Shengwei with straight set win (21-14, 21-12) at last edition in Thailand in only 36 minutes, repeated again their superiority over the Chinese duo, but the Indonesians had to fight hard this time, using more than one hour (65 minutes), and narrowly edged their arch rival 2-1 (21-15, 19-21, 22-20).

Andy/Koko defeated Thai pair Borworn Yungtian/Sataporn Sawangrueang 12-21, 21-19, 15-7 and Gao/Han crushed Iran's Farokhi Parviz/Maztar Hoshmond 22-20, 21-17 in the semi-finals to enter the final.

This is also the third time the Indonesians won the top honor in the Asian Beach Volleyball Championship.

Borworn Yungtian/Sataporn, failing to clinch a final berth, resumed their form in the next day and took the bronze medal with a 18-21, 23-21 and 17-15 win over Iran's Farokhi Parviz/Maztar Hoshmond in the playoff match.

In the women's category, Thailand players performed well to place the first and third.

Title-hotshots and reigning champs Kamolthip Kulna and Yupa Phukrongploy of Thailand continued their splendid coordination and downed China's Miao Chenchen/Ji Linjun in a closed match 2-0 (21-19, 22-20) in 49 minutes. The Thai duo defeated another China's duo Yue Yuan/Zhang Wenwen at the last Championship in the final.

It is noted that top players from China Wang Jie/Tian jia, Xue Chen/zhang Xi did not came to this Championship, who are busy in participating FIVB SWATCH World Tour to vie the berths in Beijing Olympic Games.

Kamolthip Kulna/ Yupa Phukrongploy entered the final after beating Anna Scarlett/Susan Bluudell from New Zealand 21-17, 21-14 while Miao Chenchen/Ji Linjun defeated Thailand's Jarunee Sannok/USA Tenpaksee 24-22, 21-14 to book the showdown berth.

In the playoff for the third place, Jarunee Sannok/USA Tenpaksee downed their opponents from New Zealand 21-13, 21-19 to clinch the bronze medal.

Another Chinese duo Yue Yuan/Zhang Wenwen, runner-up at last edition, were not in their form and finished fifth only with a 21-17, 21-19 win over Iswani Manokaran?Beh Shunthing of Malaysia.

A total of 74 players from 10 countries and regions took part in the Asian Beach Volleyball Championships

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