Bintang and Sofyan compete in China for Olympic qualification

Indonesian beach volleyball duo Bintang Akbar and Sofyan Rachman have begun competing in the AVC Beach Continental 2026 in Shangluo, China. The tournament, held from September 2 to 6, 2026, serves as a critical pathway for athletes seeking qualification for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.

As the sole representatives for Indonesia in this continental championship, the pair is competing in Group E. Their group stage schedule includes matches against Malaysia (Paul Leong/Chong), Kazakhstan (Aleksandr Yakovlev/Sergey Mokhammad), and Japan (Yoshiumi Takahashi/Tatsuya Ikeda).

Head coach Slamet Mulyanto stated that the athletes are in prime physical condition and prepared for the intense competition. The Indonesian Volleyball Federation (PP PBVSI) has set a high target, aiming for the duo to secure first place in the tournament, as only the champions will earn the Olympic qualification ticket.