Cambodia 2023: Men's volleyball team continues to mature with every opportunity
Singapore’s men’s indoor volleyball team gave a good account of themselves at the 32nd SEA Games in Cambodia, improving on their previous result of 7th at the 2019 Games in the Philippines, finishing in 6th place this edition.
And it could have been better had they not lost to the Philippines 3-1 in their final classification match, a team they had beaten 3-0 in the Group stage.
Celebrating a hard-earned point, the young team continues to grow. Photo: SNOC/Eng Chin An
Made up mostly of junior college and university students as well as national servicemen, the players has had to face many challenges on the road to Phnom Penh.
“It has been challenging getting the players to commit to training," says Team Manager Lua Hui Chun.
“We also struggled with regular strength and conditioning preparation which was better when carding support kicked in after being selected for SEA Games."
"Otherwise, in the Singapore way, we did our best getting ready while juggling school work, work commitments (as some of the boys work after school), limited resources, etc."
Rising to the occasion, matching strengths against the much-vaunted Indonesians. Photo: SNOC/Eng Chin An
“We have seen continual improvement from the boys, given Volleyball isn’t part of the mainstream sports. At this SEA Games, we have the youngest average age among the 8 teams in the competition. And with the 2019 and 2023 campaigns under their belt, we see them full of potential and there is a long runway for improvement for this team.
“The challenge for us is how to retain them when they graduate from University and/or transition into the next phase of their life.”
In Cambodia, the team started with a 3-0 loss to the host nation, before losing to Indonesia by the same margin.
Said Lua: “There was some jitters playing the first game against the host in front of a full stadium but the boys recovered and did well in sets 2 and 3.
The team fought the odds to earn their place in Cambodia. Photo: SNOC/Eng Chin An
“Looking back, we went up first against the eventual finalists as both Indonesia and Cambodia went through to the gold medal match.
“I think we were competitive against them although the team went down 0-3. The boys were determined to live up to our association’s Secretary-General's challenge to them to show that we are not pushovers and that was exactly what the boys did later against Philippines and Myanmar.”
The team then beat the Philippines 3-0 to wrap up the Group Stage and enter the classification round where they trounced Myanmar 3-0 to reach the match to determine 5th and 6th placings. Meeting the Philippines for a second time, the tired team fell 3-1.
“Losing the final match was regrettable but overall it was a resounding good performance from the boys. We had a close affair against the Philippines in the group stage despite the scoreline, and the boys were also fatigued after several days of intense games.
The team will continue to stay ready for their next assignment. Photo: SNOC/Eng Chin An
“In closing, we need to continue working on our strength and of course continue to develop technically.
“The team will take a break after SEA Games and focus on their personal commitments which they have put aside due to the Games. After that, we will regroup and start our preparation for 2025!”
The 32nd SEA Games are held in Cambodia from 5 to 17 May 2023. For the latest Team Singapore coverage and news, follow Team Singapore on their social media channels (Facebook, Instagram, TikTok) or visit the official Team Singapore website.
Related Articles
Related Topics
Related Events & Programmes
Related Articles
Related Topics
Related Articles
View AllRelated Topics
[BlogPost 164749641842 NSG 2024 Netball: Senior Div Girls League 3 Preliminary Round 2, BlogPost 163985727414 Beyond the Field: Exciting Sports Careers for Non-Athletes, BlogPost 164438712123 NSG 2024 Badminton: Senior Div Girls Quarter-Finals, BlogPost 164238055490 Evergreen Aleksandar Duric Still Making Headlines at 53, BlogPost 164170080646 NSG 2024 Rope Skipping: Junior Div Girls Freestyle Team Finals, BlogPost 162884973666 Move and Rest Better With Data From Your Own Body, BlogPost 163393049482 Life Comes Full Circle For Serangoon Garden Secondary School's Fahrish Khan, BlogPost 163258797651 Making Golf a Sport for All, BlogPost 162512222328 NSG 2024 Sepaktakraw: Senior Div Yuhua Primary School vs Qihua Primary School, BlogPost 162233592997 Gritty Lions Suffer Loss to China, BlogPost 162089384371 On Your Mark, Get Ready, Go Running, BlogPost 161670652697 Lions' Excellent Showing Against China, BlogPost 161435270031 Ogura Optimistic for Exciting Clash against China, BlogPost 161127614758 The Future of Basketball in Singapore: Why 3x3 is Here to Stay, BlogPost 161033673012 The Active Lifestyler's Guide to the New ActiveSG Delta Sport Centre, BlogPost 161128356680 Grand New Champions Crowned at WTT Singapore Smash 2024, BlogPost 160844835218 NSG 2024 Table Tennis: C Div Boys Pool Round, BlogPost 160210745115 NSG 2024 Basketball: Senior Div Girls Tampines Primary School vs Frontier Primary School, BlogPost 159881180544 Whirlwind Return to Women's Football, BlogPost 159633541417 Singapore Smash to Elevate a New Legacy, BlogPost 158983580420 NSG 2024 Rugby: B Div Damai Secondary School vs Peirce Secondary School, BlogPost 159003960202 SFA Fiesta: Kicking off 2024 to a Roaring Start, BlogPost 158830735126 NSG 2024 Football: B Div Girls Preliminary Round Meridian Secondary School VS Bowen Secondary School, BlogPost 158536989718 Team Nila Volunteers Recognized At Awards Ceremony, BlogPost 158270107806 NSG 2024 Hockey: B Div Boys Preliminary Round Raffles Institution VS St. Hilda Secondary School, BlogPost 157966862615 NSG 2024 Floorball: B Division Preliminary Rounds Kick Off!, BlogPost 157562433712 What Is Safe Sport?, BlogPost 157559446197 Sengkang Secondary: Cultivating Well-Rounded Footballers, BlogPost 157368261167 New National Training Centre for Cricket at West Coast Ground, BlogPost 155340164987 Active Ageing with Joey Bonifacio, BlogPost 155930815517 Inaugural Singapore Youth League kicks off from 24th February 2024, BlogPost 155340164727 Bukit Canberra : the Coolest Spot in the North, BlogPost 155368905255 How Padang Fandi Inspired Ayden to Chase his Dream, BlogPost 154755572826 Ageing Backwards with Elizabeth Cheang, BlogPost 154094657315 Running For Fitness, BlogPost 153318636178 Excitement Builds for FIBA 3x3 Asia Cup 2024, BlogPost 153198644247 World's Top Four Confirmed for 2024 HSBC Women's World Championship, BlogPost 149413941770 Cultivating Your Kids’ Interest in the Outdoors, BlogPost 149413941163 Making Sport More Appealing for Our Kids, BlogPost 149412549409 Solo Or Team Sport – Choosing the Best for Your Child, BlogPost 151197478798 Former Lions Stalwart Baihakki Khaizan Sheds Light on New Accreditation to Elevate Grassroots Football and Youth Development, BlogPost 80703591291 New Year, Fitter You! Here are the top 3 workouts for the New Year, BlogPost 81171151456 7 Reasons Why Sports are Great for Children’s Mental Health, BlogPost 80542065330 17 Best Yoga Classes & Studios in Singapore [+ Rating & Prices], BlogPost 149404351798 From Brush to Lens: A Student's Journey in the World of Art and Sports Photography, BlogPost 149402825063 The Benefits of Active Parenting, BlogPost 149397832009 Sweden Claim 9th Straight Gold at the Women's World Floorball Championship, BlogPost 149397831449 Lion City Sailors Win 2023 Singapore Cup, BlogPost 148511324266 Pitch Perfect with Jonathan Teo, BlogPost 148511724402 Seniors: Increase your flexibility bit by bit with these stretches]