Men's competition in the Beijing Olympics beach volleyball tournament will be fierce as many teams are at almost the same level, leader of the Netherlands' beach volleyball team said Thursday.

Besides a few top teams such as Todd Rogers/Phil Dalhausser of the United States, who top the Olympic rankings, most of the remaining teams are at the same level, said Bert Goedkoop.

The results in the men's tournament are hard to forecast, Goedkoop said.

The Dutch men's pair Emiel Boersma/Bram Ronnes, placed 18th on the Olympic qualification standings, may also "make a surprise" at the Olympics despite a low seeding, he said. "They maybe can get a medal," said the team leader.

The pair's performance has been unstable, he said. "Sometimes they play very well, sometimes they play at a low level."

Dutch men team Emiel Boersma/Bram Ronnes and a women pair began pre-Olympics practice at the Chaoyang Park beach volleyball ground Thursday.

The Dutch National Olympic Committee is sending three beach volleyball teams to the Beijing Olympics. Another men duo Reinder Nummerdor/Richard Schuil, seeded fifth on the Olympic rankings, is coming later this week for practice, said Goedkoop.

(Xinhua News Agency August 1, 2008)