Hosts Sri Lanka enjoyed mixed fortunes on the first day of the AVC Central Zonal tournament of the Beach Volleyball Continental Cup on Saturday. Their women’s team downed Maldives 4-0. Meanwhile, the Kazakhstan women’s team claimed their first victory over their Indian counterparts.

The women's team from India, Kazakhstan, Iran, Maldives and Sri Lanka are fighting for the three tickets of the AVC Central Zone to the finals of the Asian Continental Cup and, ultimately, a spot in the Olympic Games.

In the women’s section, Sri Lanka’s top pair of T. Gunasinghe/ Geethika Gunawardana were in awesome form as they annihilated Maldives 2 (Azza/Sama) 21-9, 21-5 to put the host side in front 1-0. The home team’s second duo of S. Gunasinghe/ G.H. Nirosha Lakmini followed up with another straight-sets win over Agilahamid/ Fathimath Zeenia (21-2, 21-3). T. Gunasinghe/ Geethika Gunawardana and S. Gunasinghe/ G.H. Nirosha Lakmini clinched both the last two matches in straight sets, completing a 4-0 victory.

The first duo of Irina Tsimbalova/ Tatyana Mashkova from Kazakhstan took 22 minutes to beat India’s V. Pavithra/ Prakasan Premavathi 2-0 (21-6, 21-7) in the first match. In the second encounter against first pair from India R. Ragana/ C.K. Jeeshma, Kazakhstan’s No.1 duo showed excellent spiking and intimidated their opponents from India, winning 2-0 (21-7, 21-6).

The other Kazakhstan duo of Bakhtygul Samalikova/ Lyubov Bogatu defeated rivals Rajasekar Ragana/ C.K.Jeeshma 21-14, 21-8 in 17 minutes and  V. Pavithra/ P.Premavathi 21-10, 21-8 in 23 minutes.

Women’s results:
Sri Lanka 4, Maldives  0 
T. Gunasinghe/Geethika Gunawardana vs. Azza/Sama 2-0 (21-9, 21-5)
S. Gunasinghe/ G.H. Nirosha Lakmini vs. AGILAHamid/Fathimath Zeenia 2-0 (21-2, 21-3)
T. Gunasinghe/Geethika Gunawardana vs AGILAHamid/Fathimath Zeenia 2-0 (21-9, 21-11)
S. Gunasinghe/ G.H. Nirosha Lakmini vs Azza/Sama 2-0 (21-7, 21-7)

Kazakhstan 4, India 0
Irina Tsimbalova/Tatyana Mashkova vs. V. Pavithra/ Prakasan Premavathi  2-0 (21-6, 21-7)
Bakhtygul Samalikova/Lyubov Bogatu vs. Rajasekar Ragana/ C.K.Jeeshma 2-0 (21-14, 21-8) 
Irina Tsimbalova/Tatyana Mashkova vs. R. Ragana/ C.K.Jeeshma 2-0 (21-7, 21-6)
Bakhtygul Samalikova/Lyubov Bogatu vs. V. Pavithra/ P.Premavathi 2-0 (21-10, 21-8)