Qatar Claims Gold and Silver at GCC Beach Games in Oman

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April 8, 2025
volleyball
8-April-2025

Qatar Claims Gold and Silver at GCC Beach Games in Oman

Muscat: Qatar earned two medals—one gold and one silver—on Tuesday at the 3rd GCC Beach Games, currently taking place in Muscat, Oman. The event runs through Friday and features over 300 athletes from across the six Gulf nations.

Team Qatar star Ali Hamad Al Athba clinched the gold medal in the individual lance event in the Tent Pegging discipline, finishing ahead of Saudi Arabia’s Hussain Assiri, who took silver, and Oman’s Hamad Al Riyami, who claimed bronze.

Speaking after his victory, Al Athba credited the Qatar Equestrian Federation for its support and thorough preparation leading up to the event. He expressed hope for more success in the remaining Tent Pegging competitions, including the sword and hanging events.

In athletics, high jumper Hamdi Ali secured silver for Qatar with a height of 1.96 meters. Oman’s Fatek Abdul Ghafour won gold with 1.99 meters, while Kuwait’s Khaled Masaad earned bronze with 1.93 meters.
Ali described the medal as a strong start to his first-ever appearance at the Beach Games and said it gives him added motivation for the rest of the season.

In beach volleyball, Team Qatar 1—comprising Cherif Younousse and Ahmed Tijan—advanced to the quarterfinals after a dominant straight-sets win over Kuwait Team 2 (21–8, 21–5). The pair topped Group 1 and are set to face Saudi Arabia Team 2 in the next round. They had previously defeated Oman Team 3, also in straight sets.

Meanwhile, Team Qatar 2—made up of Othman Mohammed and Noor Othman—were eliminated after a straight-sets loss to Saudi Arabia Team 1 (7–21, 9–21). This marked their third consecutive defeat in Group 4, following earlier losses to Oman Team 4 and Bahrain Team 2.

In other developments, Qatar’s swimming team arrived in Muscat today ahead of their competition. The squad includes Tamim Mohammed Al Hamayda and Mohammed Aziz Ismail, accompanied by administrative manager Rashid Khalid Al Mohannadi and coach Yuri Vlasakov. They will compete in the 5-kilometer open water race on the final day of the Games this Friday.

Qatar is represented at the GCC Beach Games by 18 athletes competing across five sports: beach volleyball, athletics, sailing, open water swimming, and equestrian Tent Pegging.

The Gulf Beach Games were first held in Bahrain in 2010, followed by the second edition in Doha in 2015.