Volleyball…Beijing 2008

Head here to see an interview with the organiser of the Phuket Open currently being played, Geoffery Rowe. He speaks about the tournament and its importance to Phuket.

Note: the file is pretty large and will take a while to download, click the video camera icon in the top right hand corner to download.

An article from the Inquirer on the qualification round of the Phuket Open.

Heidi Ilustre and Diane Pascua maintained their steady drive toward the Beijing Olympics after barging into the main draw of the FIVB World Tour Thailand Open Wednesday in Karon Beach in Phuket.

The Filipino-American beach spikers displayed their readiness to tab a slot to the 2008 Games by trashing a pair of Kazakhs, 21-12, 21-14, to get into the money round of the last event in the 17-leg 2007 FIVB World Tour.

The Phuket Gazette has an article on the qualification round of the Phuket Open.

Click here to view the photos form the qualification round of the Phuket Open.

Courtesy FIVB.

Here are the Qualification results for the Phuket Open from the FIVB. The winners in bold advance to the main draw.

Some more info on the Phuket Open starting tomorrow. Walsh and May- Treanor will secure their Beijing places by playing in this tournament having successfully competed in the 8 mandatory events. Leading Chinese and Brazilian pair are already qualified.

Like all events on the 2007 women’s SWATCH-FIVB World Tour calendar, qualifying means a chance for money for the lower-rated teams on the international Beach Volleyball circuit while the top-ranked tandems seek to better their position for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games.

 

Todd Rogers speaks about his passion to win the Olympics next year and they are working hard to make sure they peak in August next year. Read full article at AVP.

“Olympic gold is No. 1; there is no doubt about it. That, far and away, is the biggest one,” Rogers said. “If you reach every other goal, you’ve had a good financial season and you’ve had a successful season as well, but if you don’t win the gold, it is not as glorious as it could have been.”

The Phuket Open is coming very soon and everyone is getting geared up for it. Without the Brazilians and Australians in the field, the Chinese and Americans are left to battle it out as favourites for some precious ranking points for Beijing.

China’s Chen Xue (left) and Xi Zhang seek second Phuket Thailand Open gold medal (FIVB)

Phuket, Thailand, October 25, 2007 - After a four-week break, the SWATCH-FIVB World Tour resumes action with the final 2007 qualifying event for the Beijing Olympic Games with the teams from the ABCs of Beach Volleyball headlining the field for US$200,000 Phuket Thailand Open.

May-Treanor and Walsh head into Phuket atop the SWATCH leaders board. They want to secure their spot at beijing next year to challenge for another crown.

Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh swept most of the postseason honors, but they have one piece of unfinished business: Olympic qualifying. The dominant women’s domestic team wants to secure its spot atop the international field and ensure a berth for the beach volleyball tournament in the Olympic Games next August in Beijing.

Natalie Cook is gearing up for her fourth Olympics with new partner Tamsin Bartnett. She has a Gold and a Bronze medal  behind her already. The Australian has done an article on her.

NATALIE COOK is heading to her fourth Olympic Games, in Beijing next year, and already has her eyes on a fifth in London in 2012.

“I love it. It’s my life,” Cook, a dual Olympic medallist, said.

“People keep asking me how long I’ll go. That gets me thinking about what I would do afterwards and I haven’t any answers.