The Hague, Netherlands, May 13, 2015 - Michiel van Dorsten has recovered from knee surgery and is back in training this week with his teammate Steven van de Velde. From now on, the two players will be focusing entirely on the FIVB Beach Volleyball World Championships The Netherlands 2015.
On Tuesday, Van Dorsten trained alone again but was considered fit enough to join a group session on the next day. In early April, Van Dorsten was forced to have knee surgery, an unlucky start to the season.
“I got injured during a training camp in Florida. I tried to kick a ball, but my foot got stuck in a net and I twisted my knee.”
At first, rest seemed to be the solution. A closer medical examination, however, revealed a torn meniscus requiring surgery for a full recovery. “I tried to speed up my rehabilitation without hasting it too much. Currently, I don’t have any pain anymore and I look forward to getting back to training with Steven and the other guys.”
Preparation for the most important weeks of the season has not been in danger, Van Dorsten said. “We missed just two events - which is not ideal - but there is enough time left to play tournaments and prepare for the World Championships. Over the winter, we have done a lot of preparatory work. For now it is all about coming to the right cooperation on court.”
In two weeks, Van Dorsten and Van de Velde will play their first event of the season as a team. They have to qualify for the main draw of the FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour Moscow Grand Slam 2015.
For Van Dorsten and Van de Velde, it will be their first season on the World Tour. But they have set the bar high for themselves this year. Van Dorsten: “ We have set ourselves the target of making it to the quarterfinals [of the World Championships]. This is an ambitious goal, but it is on home soil. We are not afraid about speaking out about our ambitions.”
The World Championships will be a special event for the 2.12m blocker. In the pool phase, he will play on familiar ground in Apeldoorn. “I know a lot of people from Apeldoorn. I lived there for five years when I was playing for Dynamo. From that period I have a lot of friends in Apeldoorn. People are sending me text messages, telling me that they are planning to come and watch the matches.”
In recent weeks, Van Dorsten and Van de Velde have also visited Apeldoorn for promotional activities. “We attended the unveiling of the countdown clocks and we assisted at the opening of indoor beach volleyball courts in Apeldoorn. It is great to see the enthusiasm for the World Championships is already mounting.”