Latest news with #Cherif
Qatar Tribune
06-07-2025
- Sport
- Qatar Tribune
Cherif & Ahmed claim their maiden Gstaad Elite gold
Agencies Gstaad (Switzerland) Qatari Olympic medalists Cherif Younousse and Ahmed Tijan secured their second title in three Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour events this season on Sunday, triumphing at the prestigious Elite tournament held in Gstaad. The Asians topped the podium at the Swiss Alps for the first time in their careers and had by their sides second-placed Swedish Jacob Holting Nilsson and Elmer Andersson and third-placed Dutch Stefan Boermans and Yorick de Groot. Cherif and Ahmed prevailed in two close sets (21-19, 22-20) over Nilsson and Andersson, stopping a big late push from the Swedish, who came back from a 20-15 deficit to avoid five matches points and level the score at 20 in the second set before Ahmed scored twice in a row to confirm the Qatari victory. 'They had been playing very well since the tournament started,' Cherif said. 'So we were ready for everything. Their comeback in the second set was crazy, but we knew they were able to do it. There are no easy matches at this level and you need to expect anything.' Cherif and Ahmed had somewhat of a late start to the 2025 season after taking bronze at last year's Beach Pro Tour Finals, as the two didn't appear in a Beach Pro Tour event until May, when they took gold at the Xiamen Challenge. After that, they played in the Ostrava Elite, in June, finishing fifth. It took the Qatari Olympians seven attempts to claim the golden cowbells in Gstaad as they first played together in the Swiss village back in 2018. 'We need to thank the fans here in Gstaad,' Cherif added. 'Since 2021, every time we play here, it doesn't matter who's on the other side of the net, they always support us.' In the bronze medal match, Boermans and de Groot overcame Brazilian Olympians André Loyola and George Wanderley in the tie-breaker (21-23, 21-17, 15-10), finishing third. The Dutch played together in Gstaad for just the second time and had taken gold in the first one, back in 2021. The bronze cowbells also serve as a birthday present for de Groot, who celebrated his 25th birthday on the sand in the Swiss Alps. 'Of course, I would prefer to play in the final, but to be able to compete on Sunday, on my birthday, it's really special,' de Groot said. 'The venue is incredible here, and to win bronze against a really strong Brazilian team is amazing.' The next Elite event on the Beach Pro Tour schedule is the one in Montréal, Canada, from August 13-17.
Qatar Tribune
03-05-2025
- Sport
- Qatar Tribune
Qatar's Younousse and Tijan win Asian Beach Tour Doha Open
Tribune News Network Doha Qatar's beach volleyball stars Cherif Younousse and Ahmed Tijan proved unstoppable once again, outplaying Paul Burnett and Luke Ryan in the highly-anticipated final showdown of the AVC Men's Beach Tour Doha Open at the Al Gharafa Beach Complex to capture gold medal in dramatic fashion on Saturday. The match lived up to expectations, offering a thrilling display of skill and intensity. The sensational 21-19, 21-13 victory over the Australia's third seeds and gold medallists at the 2nd Nuvali Open in Philippines handed the host country its first-ever AVC Beach Tour title on home soil. Cherif/Ahmed had already beaten the Aussies 2-0 in the quarterfinals of the 24th Samila Open in Songkhla, Thailand and the Qataris went on to capture the unprecedented title in early April. Following their well-rounded, unblemished performance in the four-day, men's only event, the Qataris deserved the win. Cherif/Ahmed showcased their outstanding performance to win consecutive five matches with remarkable unbeaten record and without dropping a set to their respective opponents prior to reigning supreme. For Cherif/Ahmed, the great success on home soil could be the similar feat they had repeated in their career. The Qataris had dominated the Asian Championships for three times (2018, 2019 and 2022) aside from clinching Asian Games twice, 2018 in Palembang, Indonesia and 2022 in Hangzhou, China and securing bronze medal at the Tokyo 2020, the first-ever Olympic medal for Qatar in beach volleyball. Last year, they also took bronze medal at the World Beach Pro Tour Finals on home soil. Cherif/Ahmed proved they remain in great shape this year as they have won key outings. On April 10, they claimed gold medal for Qatar at the GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) Beach Games Muscat 2025 in Oman and six days after that, they topped the podium at the AVC Beach Tour 24th Samila Open in Thailand. With this achievement, Cherif/Ahmed earned 320 AVC ranking points and a cash prize of US$2,500, further solidifying their standing among Asia's elite and signaling strong preparedness for upcoming international competitions. The Australian runners-up received 288 points and a US$2,000 prize money.
