PH beach volleyball team braces for war in AVC Continental Cup

The hunt for an Olympic berth has begun for the Philippine men's and women's beach volleyball teams.

The teams left for Nakhon Pathom province last Sunday where the Asian Volleyball Confederation Continental Cup will be staged on June 18 and 19.

The two-day tournament stakes one ticket each for top finishers in men's and women's division.

This will also be the first international event since the 2019 Southeast Asian Games that a Philippine volleyball team, whether indoor or beach, will see action competitively.

And although they were settling for home workouts in the majority of their buildup, national team head coach Paul Doloiras said they will just give it all for the flag.

"Let's just see how far we can go from here," Doloiras told GMA News Online in a message.

"But no matter what, we will do everything we can for the country."

The squad is hoping to pull off a surprise run in the tournament, especially with a promising lineup.

The gutsy duo of Sisi Rondina and Bernadeth Pons will comprise the first women's pair while Dij Rodriguez and Babylove Barbon will serve as the second unit.

Mer Jauculan and Gen Eslapor, meanwhile, are the reserves.

In the men's side, Jaron Requinton and James Buytrago headline the team while Jude Garcia and Anthony Arbasto compose the second duo.

Ranran Abdilla and Philip Bagalay are on the reserve list.

The women's team will face Japan, New Zealand, and Sri Lanka with the top two teams advancing to the final round from June 25 to 27.

The men's team will be clashing with squads coming from Australia, Japan, Kazakhstan, and Lebanon.

Although it's a tall task for the beach volley team, Philippine National Volleyball Federation (PNVF) president Ramon "Tats" Suzara said they are eyeing for a strong campaign regardless of the results.

"“We are hoping for a strong finish for our men and women beach volleyball teams in this Olympic qualifier,”  Suzara said.

“Our athletes are adequately prepared for the competition, having set up a training camp in Pagudpud since last month.”

—JMB, GMA News