Qatar’s beach volleyball stars, Cherif Younousse and Ahmed Tijan, are set to showcase their skills at the upcoming Beach Pro Tour – Elite 16 tournament in Joao Pessoa, Brazil, starting from October 16. After impressive performances at the Arab Beach Volleyball Championship and the Paris Olympics, the former World No.1 pair is eager to make their mark on the international stage once again. Competing in Pool A, Younousse and Tijan will face tough competition from two formidable teams – the home pair of George Souto Maior Wanderley and Loyola Stein Andre from Brazil, as well as Argentina’s Nicolas Capogrosso and Tomas Capogrosso.
The Qatari pair’s first match is scheduled for October 17 against the Capogrosso brothers, followed by a match against the Brazilian pair of Wanderle and Andre on the next day. Their final pool match will be against Seed 16 on October 19. Recently ranked 17th in the world, Younousse and Tijan impressed by winning a bronze medal at the Arab Championship in Tunisia and finishing fourth at the Paris Games. Despite narrowly missing the final after a tough semi-final against Oman, they secured a straight-set win against Saudi Arabia in the bronze-medal match.
In the Paris Games, the Tokyo 2020 bronze winners fell short of securing back-to-back Olympic podium finishes when they lost the bronze medal match to Norway’s top pair, Anders Mol and Christian Sorum. The Joao Pessoa Elite16 is a part of the prestigious Beach Pro Tour, where only the best teams compete. The finals are set to take place on October 20, with the Beach Pro Tour Finals featuring the top 10 teams in the world scheduled in Doha from December 4-7. With their sights set on success, Younousse and Tijan are preparing to give their best and showcase their talents on the international stage once again.
