Thai spikers arrive home, enter quarantine
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Thai spikers arrive home, enter quarantine

The Thai women's team arrives at Suvarnabhumi airport from Italy on Tuesday. (Volleyball Association of Thailand photo)
The Thai women's team arrives at Suvarnabhumi airport from Italy on Tuesday. (Volleyball Association of Thailand photo)

The Thai women's team arrived in Bangkok from Italy on Tuesday after their Volleyball Nations League assignment.

They then entered 14-day compulsory quarantine at a hotel in accordance with the government's Covid-19 protocols for those who land in the country.

The Thais finished last in the 16-team tournaments with two wins against Germany and Canada and 13 defeats in Rimini.

It was the last international event for Thailand's Fab Six -- Wilavan Apinyapong, Malika Kanthong, Onuma Sittirak, Pleumjit Thinkaow, Nootsara Tomkom, and Amporn Hyapha.

Indeed, the Thailand Volleyball Association (TVA) had called up a young team for the 2021 VNL, hoping to groom them to win the country's first ever Olympic berth in the sport at Paris 2024.

Unfortunately, a large number of them tested positive for Covid-19 just days before the VNL started, forcing the TVA to ask the Fab Six to help the country for one last time.

While their results in Italy were less than impressive, the Thais, particularly the Fab Six, have won praise from officials, opponents and fans.

The sport's governing body FIVB hailed the six as "fabulous women".

"What they lacked in height they more than made up for with creativity, technique, speed, teamwork, heart and passion," said an article on the FIVB website www.fivb.com.

"Their two-decade-long careers were filled with some highs and lows, but the pinnacle of it all would be the values of friendship, determination, courage, inspiration and respect that powered Thailand to success."

While the six have bade farewell to international volleyball, some of them will continue playing for their clubs.

The national side's next tournament is the Asian championship in the Philippines from Aug 26-Sept 1.

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