Staff Reporter
Sanya: Qatar continued to impress at the Asian Beach Games – Sanya 2026, with standout performances across multiple disciplines, headlined by the beach volleyball team of Cherif Younousse and Ahmed Tijan, who advanced to the semi-finals after a commanding victory over China.
The Qatari duo secured a straight-sets win (21-10, 21-19) in their quarter-final clash on Monday, displaying composure and experience. After dominating the first set, they showed resilience in the second, recovering from a deficit to seal victory and maintain their strong run in the competition.
Having topped Group B with a perfect record—defeating Maldives, Uzbekistan and Iran—the pair carried their momentum into the knockout rounds. They are now set to face Thailand in Tuesday’s semi-final, after the latter overcame Indonesia. The other semi-final will see Iran take on Oman.
Younousse said the team’s progress reflects their steady improvement and readiness for high-pressure matches, stressing their ambition to reach the final and compete for gold.
In beach handball, Qatar also maintained a perfect record, defeating Maldives 2-0 (26-12, 18-16) to finish top of Group B. The team recorded wins over Pakistan, Oman, Bangladesh, Mongolia, Jordan and Thailand, underlining their consistency in a competitive group.
They will meet Bahrain in the semi-finals on Tuesday, while Iran face Thailand in the other last-four clash. Player Abdulrazzaq Murad highlighted the team’s determination to go all the way, noting their focus on taking each match step by step.
Meanwhile, Qatar’s men’s 3×3 basketball team advanced to the quarter-finals after topping Group C. A 15-12 win over India on Monday secured their third straight victory, following earlier wins against Bahrain and Kazakhstan.
The format grants direct quarter-final qualification to group winners, giving Qatar a strategic advantage. They will face the winner of Iran and Hong Kong in Tuesday’s quarter-final. The women’s team also progressed, finishing third in Group A and setting up a clash with Singapore in the next round.
In wrestling, Qatar begin their campaign on Tuesday with Saad Al-Hammadi (80kg) and Hamad Al-Nuaimi (70kg) entering the fray against strong continental competition. Both athletes have undergone intensive preparations since arriving in Sanya.
In sailing, Tamim Shams and Thani Shams will compete in the final race on Tuesday, aiming to improve their standings in the Optimist and ILCA 4 classes respectively, as the competition concludes.
China continue to dominate the medal standings with 30 medals, including 14 gold, followed by Thailand and the Philippines in second and third places.
