18/06/2016 18:10
Norwegian multi-talent Anders Berntsen Mol impresses on the sand and indoors
2016 CEV U20 Beach Volleyball European Championship
Antalya, Turkey, June 18, 2016. In 2015 Anders Berntsen Mol and his cousin Mathias Berntsen won gold at the 2015 CEV U20 Beach Volleyball European Championship in Larnaka, Cyprus. This year, Anders is trying to retain his title together with his new partner Aleksander Sandlie Sørum. Apart from being one of the most talented Beach Volleyball players of his generation, Anders is also a great indoor player. Next season the Norwegian outside spiker will play in the CEV Volleyball Champions League with the Belgian team of Noliko MAASEIK.
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Anders Berntsen Mol and Aleksander Sandlie Sørum finished on top of Pool B before playing against the Latvian youngsters Mihails Samoilovs (younger brother of Aleksandrs ‘the Lion King’ Samoilovs) and Aleksandrs Nasonovs in the second elimination round.
The Latvians shocked Norway by winning the first set 21-11, but Sørum and Mol recovered fast and tied the score in the second set (21-17). In the tiebreak Latvia took an early 8-4 lead but due to some great attacks and blocks from Mol the Norwegians managed to win eventually (15-11). Later on Saturday, Norway will face Ruben Penninga and Mees Blom from The Netherlands in the quarter-finals.
Anders Berntsen Mol and Aleksander Sandlie Sørum are both students at the Top Volley Norway school in Sand, a few hours from Stavanger. In the town of Sand, the two guys have been playing Volleyball together for the school team. Since both players form an occasional team for the 2016 CEV U20 Beach Volleyball European Championship, they have only been practicing on the sand together for a few weeks.
Apart from the tournament in Antalya, Anders is still forming a Beach Volleyball team with his cousin Mathias. Their team goes by the frightening name ‘Beachvolley Vikings’, and the goal of the Berntsen cousins is to participate in the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan.
“Next year I will combine playing professional Volleyball at Noliko MAASEIK with my Beach Volleyball career,” explains Anders Berntsen Mol. “I have to see how things will develop, but I think it is possible to do both.” When it comes to his ambitions, the Scandinavian multi-talent has a clear goal in mind. “I want to represent Norway in the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo as a Beach Volleyball player. My cousin and I try to find more ambitious players for our Beachvolley Vikings project, so we can create a strong pool of players. This way we hope to grow our sport in Norway.”
Picture: Anders Berntsen Mol (right) together with partner Aleksander Sandlie Sørum with whom he is competing at the CEV U20 Beach Volleyball European Championship in Antalya, Turkey
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