Manama, Bahrain, May 21, 2023 – Japan’s Suntory Sunbirds had been Sunday night time topped champions of the 2023 Asian Men’s Club Volleyball Championship, which got here to a spectacular shut within the Kingdom of Bahrain.
Suntory Sunbirds secured their maiden continental crown, and the first-ever title for any Japanese staff within the event, with a powerful 3-1 (28-26, 25-23, 23-25, 25-17) victory in opposition to Jakarta Bhayangkara Presisi of Indonesia in a vastly thrilling last, performed in entrance of a big crowd at Isa Bin Rashid Hall.
Police Sports Team from Qatar claimed the bronze medal after defeating Shahdab Yazd of Iran within the sport for third place.
Bahrain Olympic Committee (BOC) Board Member and Bahrain Table Tennis Association President Shaikha Hayat bint Abdulaziz Al Khalifa and Bahrain Volleyball Association (BVA) President Shaikh Ali bin Mohammed Al Khalifa, together with the event’s Control Committee Chairman Mr Emile Jabbour, and officers from Asian Volleyball Confederation (AVC), BVA and different regional volleyball leagues, had been attending the championship-decider.
They later introduced the awards in a closing ceremony to the medallists, together with particular trophies for the very best particular person performers.
Suntory Sunbirds famous person Dmitriy Muserskiy was named the competitors’s Most Valuable Player. Fahreza Rakha Abhinaya of Bhayangkara was the Best Libero, whereas Makasi Oya, additionally from the Sunbirds, was the Best Setter.
Police’s Belal Nabel Abunabot and Bhayangkara’s Hendra Kurniawan had been the Best Middle Blockers, whereas Amir Ghafour of Shahdab was the Best Opposite Spiker. Cuban Alain Junior de Armas of the Sunbirds and Mohammadjavad Manavinezhad of Bhayangkara rounded out the highest gamers because the Best Outside Hitters.
In the gold medal match, Muserskiy was a drive to be reckoned with, ending with a game-high 31 factors whereas making some essential performs that helped determine every set. De Armas added 26 for the Japanese, whereas Manavinezhad scored 22 to tempo the Indonesians, with Ugandan Daudi Okello scoring 21.
The end result earned the Suntory Sunbirds their first Asian Men’s Club title, and in doing so claimed the lone place from the occasion to the 2023 FIVB Volleyball Men’s Club World Championship, as a consequence of be held later this yr in India.
Suntory Sunbirds had completed because the silver-medallists twice up to now, together with in final yr’s version and earlier in 2001. Furthermore, Suntory Sunbirds turned the primary Japanese membership to win this prestigious championship.
“After being second place last year, I really wanted to win it this time and now that we have done it. I am very happy,” stated Sunbirds head coach and former Japan nationwide staff participant Kota Yamamura.
“After taking the third set in opposition to Shahdab within the semi-finals yesterday, I believed that we may win the title. We realised this previous week in Bahrain that the extent of Asian volley is now very excessive.
“Tonight’s last was very troublesome. The Indonesians performed very effectively and had been powerful, however we had been in a position to do it in the long run.
“I am really grateful we were able to play in the nice environment Bahrain prepared for us. I am glad we are the first team ever to win this competition from Japan, and that we got our tickets to the Men’s Club World Championship. We will do our best as Team Asia, and show what we can do.”
Bhayangkara had been additionally gunning for his or her first-ever Asian Clubs title. Instead, they’re compelled to accept their maiden silver medal, whereas additionally marking the primary time the Indonesian outfits have completed because the runners-up.
In the conflict for the bronze medal, Qatar’s Police gave up the primary set however roared again for a 3-1 (24-26, 25-16, 25-20, 25-19) victory.
Estonian Oliver Venno had 25 factors to steer the winners whereas Turkish ace Efe Bayram contributed 18. Tavana Saeed Javaheri was the highest scorer for Shahdab with 15 factors, whereas Malati Mohammad Sadeghi chipped in with 14 within the loss.
Police claimed their first-ever podium within the event and the fifth bronze medal for a Qatari facet. They be a part of three-time bronze-medallists Al-Arabi and Al-Rayyan, which claimed third as soon as.
Shahdab’s fourth place classification marked solely the second time within the 23 editions of the Asian Clubs competitors that an Iranian staff didn’t end within the high three. The solely different time was in 2001 in China.
Finishing fifth general had been Kuwait Sports Club. They battled previous South Gas Sports Club of Iraq of their classification fixture, falling behind twice within the sport however staying resilient till the top. They ultimately completed their opponents off within the tie-break for the ultimate 3-2 (23-25, 29-27, 15-25, 25-18, 15-11) rating line.
Iranian star Saber Kazemi had a 34-point efficiency for the Kuwaitis whereas teammate Mohammad Salem Alsuwaid completed with 11. For the Iraqis, Muntadher Yasir scored 19 whereas Bulgarian Todor Skrimov completed with 13 in defeat.
Korean Air Jumbos Pro-Volleyball Club claimed seventh place general after defeating Bayankhongor Crownd Geo VC of Mongolia 3-0 (25-21, 25-23, 25-18). Hanyong Jeong was their high scorer with 19, whereas Minjae Kim contributed 10 factors within the win. Batsuuri Battur had 15 to tempo Bayankhongor, with Khangal Tamiraa scoring 11.
Clinching ninth place amongst the 16 groups had been Bahrain’s Al-Ahli, which wanted to dig deep to beat Atyrau VC of Kazakhstan 3-2 (25-17, 21-25, 25-15, 21-25, 15-11). Brazilian Gabriel Candido had a game-high 28 factors for the house facet, whereas Bahraini star Mohammed Yaqoob scored 23. Vitaliy Vorivodin high scored with 14 for the Kazakhs, whereas Belarusian Artur Udrys completed with 12.
In the match for eleventh place, Taichung Bank from Chinese Taipei defeated Canberra Heat from Australia 3-0 (22-25, 20-25, 26-28). Chang Yu-Sheng completed with a game-high 27 markers for triumphant Taichung, whereas Rayshon Jackman had 13. Trent O’Dea and Matthew Kemp had been Canberra’s high scorers, ending with 11 and 10 factors, respectively.
Taking thirteenth general had been Diamond Food Fine Chef-Air Force of Thailand, which swept Kam Air VC of Afghanistan 3-0 (27-25, 25-21, 25-20). Chaiwat Thungkham and Brazilian Evandro Dias De Souza mixed for 41 of the Thais’ factors, with Thungkham posting 21. Ghulam Rasool Hidari paced the Afghans with 16 factors, whereas Momin Malekzada and Esmatullah Ahmadi scored eight apiece.
Khaypil Sports Club of Yemen completed fifteenth after rallying from two units all the way down to beat Aspiring Volleyball Team from Hong Kong, China 3-2 (22-25, 31-33, 25-14, 25-23, 22-20). It was a see-saw affair, during which Gamal Khairalah scored a tournament-high 52 factors, for the Yemenis. Amr Elawwad chipped in with 17. Wai Lung Lam had 19 to steer Aspiring, whereas Poon Chi Leung scored 18.
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