Japan slams Spain, rules Beach Volleyball World Tour

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Ayumi Kusano and Takemi Nishibori of Japan cap a perfect 6-0 campaign with a championship

UNTOUCHABLE. No pair comes close as unbeaten Japanese partners Ayumi Kusano and Takemi Nishibori overwhelm Spain's Paula Soria and Maria Belen Carro in the final. Photo from BVR

MANILA, Philippines – Japan’s Ayumi Kusano and Takemi Nishibori put up a dominant performance over Spain’s Paula Soria and Maria Belen Carro, 21-14, 21-18, to claim the gold medal in the FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour Manila Open on Sunday, May 6, at the Sands SM By The Bay.      

After the Spaniards saved three match points, Nishibori delivered the championship kill from a sublime Kusano as Japan completed a perfect 6-0 campaign.

“So happy. Perfect,” Kusano said. 

Japan overcame Spain’s height advantage with its speed and superb sand court coverage to claim the $1,000 top prize.

“We used our brains,” said Kusano, who also won the Spike for Peace invitational championship at the Philsports Arena 3 years ago     

Paraguay’s Erika Bobadilla and Michelle Amarilla, meanwhile, got a big bounce back after missing the semis in Langkawi last week by winning the bronze at the expense of the other Japanese team made up of Tanaka Shinako and Fujii Sakurako, 21-17, 21-16.     

It was Paraguay’s first ever medal in the FIVB World Tour, and Bobadilla and Amarilla will head back to South America with a lot of great Manila memories.

“Well, we finished 5th (in Langkawi) so this was a lot better because we made it to the semi-finals. Playing the last game I think is one of the best things for every player. You are so prepared mentally coming to a tournament,” said Bobadilla. 

The top-ranked duo of Bobadilla and Amarilla said they enjoyed playing in front of an appreciative Filipino audience.

“We loved Manila. We were so easily adjusted here. Having people being supportive for us is really, really great for us,” Bobadilla added.     

Earlier, Kusano and Nishibori defeated Shinako and Sakurako in an all-Japan women’s semifinal, 21-13, 21-16, while Soria and Carro fashioned out a 21-16, 21-15 victory over Bobadilla and Amarilla in the other pairing.          

In the men’s division, Russia’s Peter Bakhnar and high-serving Taras Myskiv arranged a gold medal showdown with Germany’s Max-Jonas Karpa and Milan Sievers, posting contrasting wins in the semi-finals.   

Bakhnar and Myskiv outlasted brothers Alejandro and Javier Huerta of Spain, 21-18, 17-21, 20-18, while Karpa and Sievers swept Switzerland’s Michiel Zandbergen and Gabriel Kisling, 21-17, 21-16.       

The Philippines’ debut in the one-star tournament saw Sisi Rondina and Dzi Gervacio making it to the quarterfinals

Other local female bets in the event backed by E-Plus Global Sdn Bhd and organized by Beach Volleyball Republic Inc were reigning BVR national champions Karen Quilario and Lot Catubag, DM Demontaño and Jackie Estoquia, and Charo Soriano and Bea Tan. – Rappler.com

 

 

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