The Hague, Netherlands, March 4, 2015 - Sven Vismans and Wessel Keemink will participate in the Dutch wild card contest for the FIVB Beach Volleyball World Championships The Netherlands 2015, which takes place in The Hague on Friday. Vismans knows he is just three matches from participation in a unique event.
What would participation in the World Championships mean to you?Sven Vismans: "Normally, the Netherlands would only get two or three teams in the World Championships, but as ths host country we receive additional places. It is a unique opportunity to participate in the competition. We decided to focus all our efforts on this event this year. It feels like an opportunity that we just have to seize."
How would you rate your chances of winning the wild card?Sven Vismans: "I think you can call us the favourites. Last year, we had a good season, and this year started well with a second place at the National Indoor Championships, just behind Reinder Nummerdor and Christiaan Varenhorst. We have trained since January with our coach Richard de Kogel and feel ready for the competition. But a tournament can be over very quickly and we must respect our opponents. Daan Spijkers and Tim Oude Elferink are guys with more experience than us. But I think that physically we are currently one step ahead."
Preparations for a competition like this one are very important.Sven Vismans: "Wessel and I are both semi-professional, meaning that we both have to work alongside our sporting career to finance our programme. We take it seriously, train a lot together and also separately. Our coach will also be with us on Friday to guide us. We do not want to leave anything to chance. "
There is also an opportunity to win a wild card through the Eredivisie. Why is the tournament on Friday so important?Sven Vismans: "It is a great advantage to be able to win a wild card on Friday. A win would give us the opportunity to work towards a peak during the World Championships. Otherwise, you have to be at your best a few weeks before the competition just to qualify. If we win the wild card on Friday, we will be able to tailor our training to the World Championships by participating in several international tournaments. I have played in international tournaments for three seasons, but for Wessel it would be a new experience."