Kamolthip, Yupa delight in victory
[BEACH VOLLEYBALL] Marvellous Kamolthip Kulna and Yupa Phukrongploy took their revenge on China's Yue Yuan and Zhang Wenwen to capture the women's title in the 5th Phatthalung-Loma Asian Beach Volleyball Invitation at Lampam Beach yesterday.
Having lost to the Chinese duo in a nail-biting round-robin quarter-final tie on Tuesday, the second-seeded Thais came out with guns blazing in the final to entertain the crowd and seal a 21-17 21-19 victory. Kamolthip and Yupa, who came from a set down to stun Chinese pair Jiang Zhongji and Jin Jieqiong in the semi-finals 16-21 21-17 15-11, took home the prize money of US$15,000. In the third-place play-off, Thai pair Jarunee Sannok and Usa Tenpaksee upset the odds by defeating China's Jiang Zhongji and Jin Jieqiong in a three-set thriller 15-21 21-16 15-12. The Thai pair walked away with $1,000 prize money plus a trophy. Meanwhile, Indonesian top seeds Andy Ardiansyah and Koko Prasetyo Darkuncoro clinched the men's title with a 22-20 15-21 15-10 victory over Agh Mohhamad Salagh and Paviz Forokhi of Iran in the final. The Indonesian pair, who crushed Gao Fangtian and Han Shengwei 21-18 21-18 in the semi-finals, were awarded prize money of $15,000 and a trophy. All the teams that participated in Phatthalung - plus more pairings from Taiwan and Indonesia - will move to Songkhla's Samila Beach to revive their rivalry in the Samila-Sangsom Asian Beach Volleyball Championships, which take place from April 14 to 16.
Somporn Suphop The Nation Phatthalung
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