Peh Shing Huei muses on why sports should be fun. And beach volleyball is.

In Beijing

A FRIEND wondered aloud a few days back why beach volleyball is an Olympic sport.

Since traditional indoor volleyball is already part of the Games, he saw no need for the sand version to be included. "There's no beach table tennis or beach football is there?", he argued.

He has obviously never been to a beach volleyball game.

 Photo: Peh Shing Huei

Here at the Beijing Games, you dive into the Water Cube to watch Phelps if you want superhuman feats. But if you want some summer fun, head to the Chaoyang Park.

Some 10,000 tons of sand has been brought here from southern Hainan Island to create a "beach" in Beijing and the effort was well worth it.

Unlike other venues, spectators are urged to stand up during match points. A  cheering commentator shouts out "good job" and "Beijing jiayou" (C'mon Beijing).

Rock songs and dance tunes turn the makeshift sand stadium into carnival ground, as the Mexican waves go round and round the stands.

Cheerleaders in turquoise bikinis sway to every song and run out to fill the sand pitches during every time-out and interval.

Known as "Sha Tan Bao Bei", or Beach Babes, they kept the sun-baked crowd entertained with dances that featured red Chinese fans and even white cowboy hats.

Why is beach volleyball a part of the Olympics? Because it reminds the world that the Games is as much about competition as it is about entertainment.

Sports should be fun. And beach volleyball is.