The Great Mission Of The Indonesian Men's Volleyball Team At The 2023 SEA Games: Establishing Hegemony!

The Indonesian men's volleyball national team wants to maintain hegemony. (Photo via Antara)

JAKARTA - The Indonesian men's volleyball national team is eyeing something big at the 2023 SEA Games. Rivan Nurmulki and his friends want to win a gold medal in Cambodia.

If that happens, the Indonesian men's volleyball national team will record a hat-trick. In the previous two SEA Games, the Red and White squad has always been the best.

At the 2023 SEA Games, Indonesia ssssster merged in Group A together with the Philippines, Singapore, and Cambodia as the host. Referring to the competition map, Indonesia deserves confidence in being able to dominate the preliminary phase.

Moreover, the composition of the Red and White team is very solid with the presence of a row of flagship volunteers who last year successfully led Indonesia to win a gold medal at the XXXI/2021 SEA Games in Vietnam.

They are Dio Zulfikri, Muhammad Malizi, Doni Haryono, Nizar Julfikar, Rivan Nurmulki, Farhan Halim, Fahreza Rakha Abhinaya, Henna Zulfi, and Yuda Mardiansyah Putra.

Five players who last year appeared in Vietnam, namely Irpan, Dimas Saputra, Rendy Febriant Tamamilang, Daffa Naufal, and Sigit Ardian this time were not included in the squad list for the Cambodian SEA Games.

As a substitute, the Central Board of the Indonesian Volleyball Association (PP PBVSI) summoned Boy Arnez, Hendra Kurniawan, Henry Ade Novian, Fahri S. Putratama, and Angga Anggara.

As reported by Antara, Wednesday, May 3, the team has made various preparations, such as the national training camp (pelatnas) which has been carried out since March 27, 2023 under the tutelage of a Chinese coach who in the 2022 Proliga brought LavAni to become the champion, Jeff Jiang Jie.

At the beginning of the national training, the exercise actually ran limp because Rivan Nulmaulki and Doni Haryono had not joined from the start. Rivan trained in early April, while Doni was in mid-April because he was still tied to Japanese club Nagano Tridents.

However, Rivan and Doni did not find it difficult to adapt to the team's pattern of play, considering that this is not the first time they have performed together.

The status of a superior is actually not a guarantee that we can win every match. Of course, the opponents to be faced have learned a lot and have prepared an accurate strategy to limit the movement of Rivan and his friends.

The first step that Indonesia will face at the 2023 SEA Games in Cambodia is against the Philippines.

It can be said that this will be the first test on the mission to defend the title at Southeast Asia's 32nd edition of the biennial sporting event.

The Philippines is included in the list of participants in the 2023 SEA Games after the re-sale. Initially, the Philippines was not included in the draw due to a communication error between the Philippine Olympic Committee and the organizers.

Luckily, the other participating teams were generous and willing to draw again until the Philippines was finally able to compete in Group A.

Based on the records of the last three meetings, Indonesia has always won over the Philippines. As in the XXIX/2017 SEA Games in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, the Red and White squad defeated the Philippines 3-1 (25-21, 23-25, 35-33, 25-21).

Likewise in the two matches at the XXX/2019 SEA Games in the Philippines. In the preliminary round at that time, Indonesia won with a score of 3-0 (25-23, 32-30, 25-20). Then in the final, Rivan and his friends confirmed the gold medal after defeating the Philippines, which at that time was the host with a score of 3-0 (25-21, 27-25, 25-17).

However, Indonesia still has to be vigilant. This is because the Philippine volleyball continues to improve their achievements. Entering the final when the 2019 SEA Games became the trigger, even though after that the volleyball in the country was vacuumed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Philippines brought in Brazilian coach Sergio Veloso. He is a coach who is considered good at implementing strategy and also in increasing the motivation of young players.

Before leaving for Cambodia, the men's volleyball team conducted a training camp in Japan. This shows the seriousness of the Philippines to be included in the ranks of the team that deserves to be taken into account in Southeast Asia.

Unlike the XXXI/2021 SEA Games which took place last year in Vietnam, the Philippine squad is also more complete.

They have two experienced players such as Jau Umandal who became the only volleyball player for the 2019 SEA Games and libero teams to appear at the 2021 SEA Games Manuel Sumanguid.

Rows of other players are Kim Dayandante, Vince Lorenzo, Jayvee Sumagaysay, Jade Disquitado, Lloyd Josafat, Jay Rack De la Noche, Rwenzmel Taguibolos, and Leo Ordiales.

Other voters to watch out for are new Filipino-American recruits Steve Rotter, Cyrus De Guzman, and Michael Vicente.

The first match is always important to increase motivation in navigating a competition. In other words, Indonesia must be able to take advantage of the first match against the Philippines, Wednesday, May 3.

After that, the Red and White squad will play another match while in Group A, namely against Singapore on Thursday, May 4, and host Cambodia on Saturday, May 6. From any side, Indonesia is superior to these teams.

No doubt, the opportunity to occupy the top position in Group A is wide open.

Indonesia's toughest opponent at the Southeast Asian level so far is Thailand, which in the history of the SEA Games has been recorded eight times as the best. Thailand is in Group B along with Vietnam, Malaysia, and Myanmar.

It is worth waiting for the Red and White squad to be able to win the 12th gold as well as complete the hat trick scoring mission at the 2023 SEA Games.