Tribune News Network
Hangzhou (China)
On a day of mixed fortunes, Qatar’s beach volleyball pair of Ahmed Tijan & Cherif Younousse cruised into the semi-finals but the volleyball team’s gold medal hopes were cut short ruthlessly by Iran at the Hangzhou Asian Games on Monday.
Tijan and Younousse, the defending champions and bronze medalists at the Tokyo Olympics, had a comfortable 21-17, 21-9 win over Iran’s Bahman Salemi and Sina Shoukati 21-17, 21-19 at Ningbo Banbianshan Beach Volleyball Centre in the quarter-finals.
The Qatari duo will meet Kazakhstan’s Sergey Bogatu and Dmitriy Yakovlev in the semi-finals on Tuesday, which is scheduled at 12pm Qatar time.
But Qatar’s spikers were in for a rude awakening as the two-time defending champions Iran swept past them 3-0 (25-20, 25-20 and 25-22) at the Linping Sports Centre.
Iran’s Amirhossein Esfandiar had 14 kills, two blocks and three aces to top the scoring chart with 19 points. Iran reaped 41 points from attacking, compared to 32 for Qatar. Iran, who will meet China in the final, also led in aces at six to Qatar’s one.
FIVB Challenger Cup silver medallists Qatar still will have a shot at a medal though as they face off against World No. 3 Japan in the bronze medal play off. The second string Japan side slumped to a straight-sets loss to China 25-15, 25-20, 25-21.
There was disappointment elsewhere as Qatar swimmers, shooters and tennis players put up below-par performances, while Judoka Khalil Rebahi was knocked out in the last 16 by South Korea’s Joonhwan Lee 10-0. In the 10m Running Target, Mohammed Haq finished 15th while Mohamed Abouteama was 17th out of 18 competitors. In the 25m Rapid Fire Pistol Men’s qualification, Abdullah Al Obaidli shot 545 to finish in 27th place.
Meanwhile, Abdulla Al Tamimi is targeting a medal as he spearheads Qatar’s squash team’s challenge. They face Pakistan and India in their Group A matches on Tuesday. “It has always been a dream of mine to stand on the podium at the Asian Games. I have worked hard over the past few years and I hope to make everyone in Qatar proud,” al-Tamimi, who reached a career-high 17 on the world rankings before injury cut short his season last year.
The basketball team faces a tough opening fixture against Japan on Tuesday. Qatar are in Group D in basketball, with South Korea and Indonesia their other opponents.
The 3x3 basketball team begins its campaign today by facing Thailand, with matches against Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan slated in the coming days.
Qatar’s U-23 football team will face off against China in the last 16 match on Tuesday.
