Duo’s grand plan to dominate the sand
AUSTRALIA’S frontrunning men’s beach volleyball pair for the Commonwealth Games are pinning their gold medal hopes on a “dynamic” style of play.
Damien Schumann and Chris McHugh are expected to fly the flag for the host nation in April, with selections to be finalised next month.
The beach volleyball pool groups were drawn yesterday nearby the Games venue at Coolangatta. Australia will be joined in the men’s Pool A by island countries Fiji, Trinidad and Tobago and St Kitts and Nevis.
Leading nation Canada is predicted to be Australia’s biggest threat and Schumann says executing an entertaining brand will be the key.
“We run a lot of exciting and varied offence just to try to get the blockers a little bit out of synch,” he said.
“A lot of traditional beach volleyball is pass in front, set straight up and down, come in and attack.
“We try to run behind, run faster players out wide and stuff like that just to get the bigger overseas blockers moving a little bit.
“I would call it a dynamic game compared to a lot of other beach volleyball teams.”
The 30-year-old concedes MEN
Pool A
Australia, Scotland, Grenada, Cyprus
Pool B
Canada, England, Trinidad and Tobago, Fiji
Pool C
New Zealand, Vanuatu, Singapore, Rwanda
being on site as the round robin fixtures were drawn made his “heart beat a little faster”.
“When I was watching I started getting nervous even though the competition is ages away,” he said. WOMEN
Pool A
Australia, Trinidad and Tobago, St Kitts and Nevis, Fiji
Pool B
Canada, Scotland, Sri Lanka, Sierra Leone
Pool C
England, New Zealand, Cyprus, Mozambique
“Usually when we do these things, we’re playing tomorrow, so I had that feeling.”
Schumann and long-time star McHugh joined forces about a year ago. Their sights are on gold, even if they are very wary of their opposition.
After winning at Manly and placing second at Adelaide, the pair are targeting another big result at the third and final selection event in Perth next month.
Before then, there will be a world tour tournament at Shepparton.
“That (Shepparton) is not an official selection event but every time you are competing for Australia internationally, all of the selectors are there watching,” Schumann said.
“We’d like to think we have put our best foot forward for the selectors so far.”
Taliqua Clancy and Mariafe Artacho del Solar are the leading candidates for Australia’s women’s team.