Ali bin Ghanem Al Kuwari, President of the Qatar Volleyball Association and the West Asia Volleyball Association, presented the trophies to the men’s and women’s champions at the conclusion of the AVC Beach Tour Doha Open 2026.
The tournament took place at the Beach Volleyball Centre of Excellence in Al Gharrafa from 10 to 13 October, featuring 16 men’s teams and 11 women’s teams from eight countries: Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Australia, Japan, Lebanon, China, Thailand and Indonesia.
The final day was attended by His Excellency Sheikh Fahad bin Khalid Al Thani, President of the Qatar Boxing and Wrestling Federation; Youssef Ahmed Kanoo, QVA Secretary General; Saeed Juma Al Hitmi, QVA Board Member; Sherif El Shemerly, General Supervisor of the National Teams; and Mohammed Anbar Al Nasser, Director of the National Beach Volleyball Teams.
Qatar claim men’s gold
Qatar 1’s Cherif Younousse and Ahmed Tijan secured the men’s title, trophy and gold medals with a straight-sets victory over Australia’s Oliver Merritt and Jed Walker in the final, winning 21–13, 21–18. The Australian pair took silver.
The Doha title adds to Cherif and Ahmed’s achievements in beach volleyball. The pair recently claimed their third consecutive Asian Games gold medal at Aichi–Nagoya 2026, following their titles at Jakarta 2018 and Hangzhou 2022. They also won bronze at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, underlining Qatar’s ability to compete and succeed at the highest level.
Thailand win women’s title
Thailand’s Taravadee Naraphornrapat and Worapeerachayakorn Kongphopsarutawadee won the women’s gold medal after defeating Japan’s Asami Shiba and Rika Murakami 21–19, 21–12 in the final.
The Thai pair delivered a strong performance to secure first place, while the Japanese team finished with silver following a competitive campaign against teams from Asia and Australia.
In the men’s bronze-medal match, Australia’s Solomon Bushby and Justin Schumann defeated compatriots Joshua Howat and Finlay Bennett 21–18, 21–17.
Australia also claimed women’s bronze, with Jana Milutinovic and Tara Phillips beating Japan’s Rin Matsumoto and Non Matsumoto 21–11, 21–17.
Youssef Ahmed Kanoo and Saeed Juma Al Hitmi also took part in the medal presentations.
Al Kuwari: Building on success and pursuing more titles
Ali bin Ghanem Al Kuwari congratulated Cherif Younousse and Ahmed Tijan on winning the men’s title in Doha. He stressed the importance of continuing to work towards further victories and titles, while strengthening Qatar’s presence in Asian and international beach volleyball.
Al Kuwari said Qatar’s achievements reflect the efforts invested in developing the sport, improving players’ standards and providing the conditions needed to compete at major tournaments.
He also emphasised the importance of building on these results and maintaining a clear vision aimed at preserving the progress achieved and delivering further success in upcoming competitions.
Kanoo: Strong participation strengthens the tournament
QVA Secretary General Youssef Ahmed Kanoo congratulated the Qatari pair on their victory, noting that the participation of 27 teams from eight countries demonstrates the tournament’s importance within the Asian beach volleyball calendar.
He highlighted the value of continuing to organise and host competitions that give players additional opportunities to gain experience against different opponents, supporting the development of the sport and reinforcing Qatar’s position as a host of continental sporting events.
He added that Qatar’s successful challenge for the title provides further motivation to continue working towards stronger results.
Anbar Al Nasser: Preparing our teams for further success
Mohammed Anbar Al Nasser, Director of the National Beach Volleyball Teams, highlighted the importance of Qatar’s participation with six men’s and women’s teams.
He said the tournament provided an opportunity to assess the players’ performances against opponents with different playing styles.
He added that participation in Asian competitions is an important part of the preparation and development process, allowing coaching staff to identify strengths and address areas for improvement ahead of future events.
Cherif Younousse: The title motivates us to achieve more
Cherif Younousse expressed his happiness at winning the Doha title alongside Ahmed Tijan, describing the victory as motivation to keep working and deliver strong performances in upcoming competitions.
He said the team approached the final with full concentration and a clear determination to win, adding that securing the title in Qatar, in front of the home crowd, made the achievement particularly meaningful.
Cherif noted that Asian tournaments require thorough preparation and sustained focus throughout each match. He and Ahmed remain determined to achieve further positive results, win more titles and represent Qatar with distinction at continental and international events.
Ahmed Tijan: We want to keep winning titles
Ahmed Tijan expressed his pride in winning the men’s competition, describing the title as another important achievement for the pair and an incentive to continue preparing and working towards further success.
He congratulated the Qatari supporters and said the team aims to remain among the leading contenders in upcoming tournaments.
Ahmed added that maintaining a competitive standard requires consistent training and preparation tailored to each tournament, while drawing on the experience gained through Asian and international competition to continue representing Qatar successfully.
Six Qatari teams take part
Qatar entered six teams, with three in each competition, as part of efforts to broaden participation and give more players competitive experience.
The men’s first team comprised Cherif Younousse and Ahmed Tijan, while Moussa Al Khair and Mohamed Ihab represented the second team. Saifeddine Al Majid and Mahmoud Essam formed the third team.
In the women’s competition, Haya Abu Issa and Layla Mohamed represented the first team, Shaghaf Ismail and Malak Hashem the second, and Aisha Al Alawi and Nelly Amr the third.
Doha 2026 champions crowned
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