Haiyang, China, July 21, 2018 – Varapatsorn Radarong and Tanarattha Udomchavee won the 3rd Asian Beach Games gold in Haiyang and six years later, the Thai pair is back competing in the FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour Haiyang Open.
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Radarong and Udomchavee started their dominance in the continental event in Haiyang, when they won gold after beating China’s Hu Anna/Chen Hunxia. In their next two apperances in the Asian Beach Games, they had a silver medal finish in Phuket in Thailand and reclaimed the gold in Da Nang in Vietnam.
The Thailand duo has great memories of their victory in Haiyang and sees it as the beginning of their professional beach volleyball careers.
“It’s great to be back here,” Udomchavee said. “This city has a place in my heart because we won our first Asian Beach Games gold medal here.”
“I remember this place so well,” Radarong added. “The beach volleyball venue was so new in 2012 and then when I saw it again I was so surprised with so many improvements in the venue. It makes me so happy to see this place again. Haiyang is such a great place for beach volleyball and maybe in the future I would like to train here.
“Since that gold medal victory, we began competing in more World Tour events. We gained a lot of experience from playing in events in Europe because there are strong opponents there. They play a different style of beach volleyball and we learned a lot from them. We are thankful that we gained a lot of experience and even gained new friends.”
Like in 2012, Radarong and Udomchavee are seeking a podium finish at the Haiyang Open.
“We want to finish with at least a bronze in this tournament,” Radarong said.
“But I want to win gold,” Udomchavee exclaimed. “Seriously, any podium spot in this 3-star event would be great.”