Tokyo 2020 Olympic bronze medallists Cherif Younousse and Ahmed Tijan lost to reigning Olympic champions Anders Mol and Christian Sorum from Norway 1-2 (15-21, 21-19, 12-15) in the Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour Ostrava Elite16 final on Sunday.It was the first podium of the season for the Qatari pair and fifth overall on the Beach Pro Tour since it was launched last year. With the victory, the Norwegian pair defended their Ostrava title. It was their third overall podium-topper in Ostrava, as they won the 4-star event to increase their pro tour medal count to 10, including a record-breaking six gold medals.
USA’s Miles Partain and Andrew Benesh, seeded 13th in the main draw bracket, made their way to the podium after starting their Ostrava quest from Wednesday’s qualifiers.
Their bronze was the pair’s second medal on the Tour, after the gold they took at the first Dubai Challenge in October. They won 2-0 against home favourites Ondrej Perusic and David Schweiner.
In the final, Mol and Sorum dominated the first set to edge forward on the scoreboard, but seventh-seeded Younousse and Tijan fought back in the second to push the final to a third-set decider. Regaining control on the court, the Norwegians made sure they stayed in front on the way to Mol’s kill block that ended the set in their favour.
Mol’s blocking efforts accounted for as many as six of his 28 points in the match. Sorum finished with 19 points as both he and his partner managed to ace twice each during the game. Ahmed’s 22-point tally included an ace and a block, while Cherif raised three stuffs towards a 15-point total.
“This means everything! It’s so special to play here in Ostrava, in front of all these amazing people,” said Mol at the end of the match.
In the first of yesterday’s two semi-finals, Mol and Sorum and Perusic and Schweiner returned to their tradition to engage in three-set battles with the Beachvolley Vikings emerging victorious in the end. They came back from a set down to claim a 2-1 (19-21, 21-17, 15-8) win In the second semi-final, Partain and Benesh took the first set of that match, but then Younousse and Tijan fought back to win it by 2-1 (18-21, 21-17, 15-9).
Tijan outscored everyone on the court with 23 points, including an ace, while Younousse raised three kill blocks and also aced once to tally 17 points to his name. Benesh finished with 22 points, while Partain added another 15.