BAHRAIN 'A' team were eliminated from the volleyball competition in the Third Asian Beach Games in Haiyang, China.

The team of Hassan Aqeel and Hussain Marhoon suffered a straight-set defeat to Indonesia 'A' of Chandra and Koko in the last-16 round tie yesterday.

Set results were 21-12, 21-13 for the Indonesian pair, who are seeded third in Asia, as they proved too strong for the Bahraini tandem, who were sent crashing out of the tournament.

Bahrain 'B', comprising Ali Habib and Ali Marhoon, are already out of the tournament after losing their deciding Group 'E' tie to Indonesia 'A'. Both Bahraini teams are coached by Ali Jaffer.

Meanwhile, Bahrain's football and handball teams begin their campaigns today when the Asian Beach Games officially gets underway on Haiyang beach.

Bahrain's football team will play their first game against Lebanon at 5am (Bahrain time) at Haiyang Sports City's grounds.

Bahrain were placed in Group 'C', which also includes the UAE and the Independent Olympic Athletes from Kuwait.

The Bahrainis, who arrived at the Games venue last Thursday from Bangkok where they had a 10-day training camp, had a training session at the Games venue under their Uruguayan coach Fernando Rosa.

Spearheading the 10-member team are goalkeepers Salah Salman and Sayed Hameed Sabt, besides Ayoob Naseeb, Ebrahim Hassan, Ebrahim Abdulla, Hussain Al Dossary, Jassim Al Dossary, Mohammed Darwish, Sadeq Marhoon and Abdulla Abdullatif.

There are 16 teams lined up for the football tournament. They were divided into four groups of four teams each.

Competition begins with a round robin group stage, with each group winners and runners-up qualifying for the quarter-finals, featuring knock-out matches.

Bahrain's beach handball team, headed by Bahrain Handball Association president Ali Isa, will play Mongolia today at 5am (Bahrain time) in Group 'C', which also features, India Afghanistan and the Independent Olympic Athletes from Kuwait.

Coached by national tactician Khalid Al Hiddi, Bahrain wrapped up their preparations with a 90-minute practice session at the private beach handball grounds, in the presence of all the 10 chosen players.

They are skipper Fawaz Shamsan, Abdulla Ali, Raed Al Marzooq, Hussain Al Qaydoom, Fahad Jassim, Belal Salem, Jaffer Abbas, Sayed Shehab Mousa, Hussain Mada and Mahmood Ali.

The Bahrainis arrived in Bahrain following a useful 10-day training camp in Antalya, Turkey, where they played several tune-up matches against the Turkish national team and other first division clubs.

Over 2,500 athletes and officials from the Olympic Council of Asia's 45 affiliated National Olympic Committees are taking part in the third edition Games, which feature a total of 12 disciplines, namely football, handball, volleyball, kabaddi, speaktakraw, woodball, dragon boat, sailing, 3-on-3 basketball, powered paragliding, roller speed skating and waterskiing.