Thinley Namgay

The national beach volleyball teams will land in Sri Lanka today to compete in the 2025 Central Asian Volleyball Association’s (CAVA) Beach Volleyball Championship, which is scheduled to take place at Negombo Beach from January 22 to 27.

Two teams from Bhutan, men’s and women’s, have been preparing for the championship since Bhutan hosted its first-ever international beach volleyball tournament in Thimphu last year in August.

Intensive training began two months ago in Thimphu.

The championship will host 44 players from seven Asian countries: Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Iran, Kazakhstan, and the Maldives.

Men’s player Tshering Dorji, 27, said the participants received good training over the last few months and were confident about competing well.

Tshering Dorji, from Mongar, is a seasoned beach volleyball player in the country and the tournament in Sri Lanka will mark his fourth international appearance.

“I am confident and we will give our best. We have received good training from coach Tandin Wangchuk and  I am excited for the championship,” Tshering Dorji said.

His teammate is 18-year-old Jurme Rangdal from Tsirang, who currently studies in Class X at Yangchenphug Higher Secondary School.

Jurme Rangdal made his international debut last year during the first international beach volleyball tournament in Thimphu.

Tshering Dorji said he was confident in his co-player despite limited international game exposure.

In the women’s category, Leki Dema, 27, from Mongar and 21-year-old Zangmo from Zhemgang will represent the country. 

Both players have only one international game experience so far. Their last international game was in Bhutan five months ago.

Leki Dema works as a sports instructor at Motithang Higher Secondary School, and Zangmo is a Class X student at Babesa Higher Secondary School.              

Leki Dema said: “We are thrilled to participate in the tournament. For my teammate and me, it will be a good learning experience. We will try our best.”

The players were selected by the Bhutan Volleyball Federation from among 19 men and women through a rigorous selection process.

Coach Tandin Wangchuk is optimistic. He said all players were experienced and have received consistent training.

“We are looking to win,” he said.

Beach volleyball is relatively new in Bhutan, as it was introduced only in 2022.

The game is played in the best of three sets, with each set of 21 points, and the deciding set of  15 points. Unlike indoor volleyball, where teams switch courts after each set, the teams switch courts every seven points.     

The game originated in 1915 in the United States.