China News Service, Tianjin, September 17th: Southeast Asian youths gather in Tianjin volleyball to build a bridge of friendship
Author Zhang Shaoxuan
At 11:00 on September 17, as the referee blew the whistle, the Xinjiang first team defeated the Thai team with a total score of 2:1 and won the “City of Volleyball” 2023 Tianjin International Youth Beach Volleyball Invitational Championship. In the game that ended earlier, Tianjin Team 1 defeated Xinjiang Team 2 and won the third place.
From September 15th to September 17th, 12 women’s beach volleyball teams from China’s Tianjin, Shanxi, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Xinjiang, Hong Kong SAR, Malaysia, Thailand and Singapore gathered in Dongjiang Bay, Tianjin Binhai New Area. Volleyball youths played with the ball Meet friends and build a bridge of friendship.
From September 15th to 17th, the “City of Volleyball” 2023 Tianjin International Youth Beach Volleyball Invitational Tournament was held in Binhai New Area, Tianjin. The picture shows the various sports teams appearing at the opening ceremony. (Photo courtesy of the organizer)
Hong Kong team members Chung Hui-wah and Zheng Yuyan are both members of the local Tsunami Volleyball Club. Zheng Yuyan, who came to Tianjin for the first time, said that Bai Bing of the Tianjin team left a deep impression on her. “She is a very all-around player. I am very excited to compete with such a high-level athlete live. It will also help us improve our skills.”
Zhong Huihua believes that volleyball is very popular in Hong Kong. Many Hong Kong campuses have their own volleyball teams. Youth and adult volleyball leagues at different levels are also very popular in Hong Kong. “Ayan and I have been playing volleyball for more than ten years, including indoor volleyball and sand volleyball. I hope that one day I can stand on a higher international stage like the Chinese women’s volleyball team. The Chinese women’s volleyball team is competing in the Paris Olympic Women’s Volleyball Qualifying Tournament. I will play every game. See, it’s not only learning, but also a sense of honor for the motherland.”
From September 15th to 17th, the “City of Volleyball” 2023 Tianjin International Youth Beach Volleyball Invitational Tournament was held in Binhai New Area, Tianjin. The picture shows athletes competing.Photo by China News Service reporter Wang Zaiyu
The sun was scorching, and on the beach of Dongjiang Bay, the Thai team leader Tanarattha Udomchavee took a camera and carefully recorded every game. Team members Ramp.N and Galch.J are always paying attention to the situation in various arenas when they are not competing on their own.
“We only know a little bit of English, but the players from China and other countries are very happy to communicate with us, and the translation software also helps a lot when we encounter communication barriers.” Ramp.N joked that young people have their own ways of communicating together.
Xia Chuhong, the deputy coach of the Singapore team, has been engaged in volleyball for more than 30 years. According to him, team members Hui Hui and Kai Yin had just participated in a youth sand volleyball tournament held in South Korea in August. After a short break, they came to China to participate in this competition. In this invitational tournament, “it is a very happy thing for them to be able to compete with athletes from different countries.” There are no professional volleyball players in Singapore. The team members all engage in volleyball activities in their spare time. Although their level is limited, they still love it.
Off the field, two lively members of the Malaysian team, Maegan and Yap, were exchanging social accounts with their new friends. “The beaches in Tianjin are beautiful, and it is a pleasure to play games here. We like Chinese culture very much, and we also plan to visit the museums in Tianjin to see the marine civilizations of different countries.” Maegan and Yap said about the next few days own plan.
From September 15th to 17th, the “City of Volleyball” 2023 Tianjin International Youth Beach Volleyball Invitational Tournament was held in Binhai New Area, Tianjin. The picture shows the enthusiastic athletes on the field. (Photo courtesy of the organizer)
Competing with volleyball youths from different countries on the same field, Chinese sand volleyball girls showed their loyalty to the landlords with their most dedicated state and fullest spirit. In Bai Bing’s view, striving to win is the greatest respect for the opponent and the game. And she also said that after the competition, she hopes to have the opportunity to take these like-minded friends to appreciate the charming scenery of Tianjin and the cultural atmosphere of the “City of Volleyball”. Xinjiang players Dilinar and Dong Jindi also extended invitations to the players, “Xinjiang has unique and beautiful beaches and various specialties. We are waiting for you in Xinjiang.”
Although the reunion is short-lived, parting is the beginning of seeing each other again next time. Tanarattha Udomchavee was sorting out various information collected during the competition and discussing the gains from the trip with the team members. In Thailand, there are not many beach volleyball competitions. She will bring the video of this trip back to the team to provide reference for domestic players. Just as the team members said this time, “We all have different cultures, but there are no barriers to communication. Volleyball is our common language.” (End)
2023-09-17 08:51:55
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