The Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) Junior Volleyball team has won a practice match against the Swedish National Junior Squad overnight despite being involved in a bus fire just 24-hours before. 

The 12-member team, one week into a three-week European tour, was travelling through Sweden when a fire broke out under the bus at approximately 4.00pm local time on Monday 19 January.

All athletes, aged 15 to 20, and four staff exited the bus without major injury, however all the team’s belongings were destroyed.

AIS Acting Director Phil Borgeaud congratulated the team on their overnight victory. 

‘The boys have done a great job to win overnight, especially as they spent much of yesterday buying clothes and equipment to replace lost items,’ Mr Borgeaud said.

‘I was particularly pleased to hear that the two boys who sustained minor injuries took the court and it looks like they are on their way to a speedy recovery.

‘The local volleyball community in Sweden has been very supportive, even helping to organise new uniforms for the team.’

The team’s three-week European tour to Italy, Sweden and Slovakia involves the 2008 Australian Volleyball League champions playing matches against club and representative teams from across Europe.

On the court, the tour has been successful with the team winning its first two matches on the Italian leg against Lugano (3 sets to 2) and Montichiari (3-0). There are four matches in Sweden, before continuing onto Slovakia for five more.

AIS Junior Volleyball team safe after bus fire - 20 January 2009