Doha, Qatar, April 7, 2016 – Bo Soderberg’s biggest moment since he switched from Denmark to Australia is fast approaching; the Final of the AVC Continental Cup which is likely to determine whether Australia’s men will play at the Rio de Janeiro 2016 Olympic Games.
Quick links•
Qatar Open website•
Qualification•
Main drawThe Continental Cup features two teams per country per gender which means that Soderberg will play alongside Josh Durant, his usual partner on the FIVB Beach Volleyball World Championships. Josh Court and Damien Schumann are likely to complete the quartet.
The tournament will take place in Cairns in Australia’s north-east from June 20-26 and as such gives the Australians home court advantage as they chase the one berth on offer at Rio 2016.
“I think it will be a big advantage having the people around us and the support of a big crowd,” Soderberg said. “As we are already there it could be a big advantage not to travel.
“It is a different format, you play for your country and not just your team. You are supportive of each other and everyone wants the best and that makes a really good mate-ship and support in the team.”
Asian Champs silver
Australia's Bo Soderberg (left) and Cole Durant
The 38-year-old has been based in Adelaide for 15 years where he trains at the Australian Institute of Sport. He continued to play for his home country of Denmark until 2012 and then focused solely on Australian National Tour tournaments.
In 2015 though Soderberg made his debut for Australia alongside Durant at, appropriately enough, the Rio de Janeiro Open where the pair reached the second knockout round.
In March Soderberg and Durant won silver at the Asian Beach Volleyball Championship on Manly Beach in Sydney. They helped the hosts complete a clean sweep alongside gold medallists Chris McHugh and Isaac Kapa and Schumann and Court who won bronze.
It is the sort of form he is hopeful they can take with them when hosting the AVC Continental Cup Final.
“Australia gave me the chance to represent them and hopefully I will have a spot at the Continental Cup and maybe the Olympics,” Soderberg said.
“Damian and Josh did really well over the summer and they are improving a lot. I don’t have so many years left and it would definitely be fun to be part of the Olympic team for Rio.”