Cherif Younousse and Ahmed Tijan of Qatar, the third seeds in the men`s main draw, emerged victorious at the Rio de Janeiro Elite on the Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour this Sunday. This triumph marks their third gold medal on the tour this season, following their wins at the Xiamen Challenge in May and the Gstaad Elite in July. Overall, it is the fifth gold and ninth medal for Cherif and Ahmed since the tour`s inception in 2022.
Cherif & Ahmed in action during the Rio Elite final.
Podium Finishers
- Gold: Cherif Younousse & Ahmed Tijan (Qatar)
- Silver: Noslen Diaz & Jorge Alayo (Cuba)
- Bronze: Stefan Boermans & Yorick de Groot (Netherlands)
The seventh-seeded Cuban Olympians, Noslen Diaz and Jorge Alayo, secured the silver medal, bringing their total Beach Pro Tour medals to six. This is their second podium appearance in 2025, having previously won gold at the Quintana Roo Elite in March.
Stefan Boermans and Yorick de Groot, the second-seeded Dutch duo, claimed the bronze, their fourth consecutive Elite-level bronze medal after Gstaad, Hamburg, and Joao Pessoa. This marks their 12th podium finish on the Beach Pro Tour.
The men`s podium at the 2025 Rio de Janeiro Elite tournament.
The Thrilling Final Match
Cherif and Ahmed showcased dominant control in the first set of the final, with Cherif elegantly closing it out with a decisive touch. The second set proved to be more competitive; after a deadlock at 13-13, the Cuban team seized the momentum, with Alayo`s powerful hit leveling the match. The tie-breaker was a nail-biting affair, with neither team gaining more than a two-point lead. In the crucial final moments, the Cubans bravely defended four Qatari match points before Ahmed finally secured the victory on the fifth, making the final score 2-1 (21-14, 17-21, 18-16).
Cherif was the standout scorer of the match, achieving a remarkable 29 points, including four kill blocks and an ace. Ahmed contributed significantly with 19 points and one ace. For the Cuban side, Alayo led his team with 23 spike kills and three kill blocks, while Diaz added 17 points, featuring three aces.
Match Highlights: Cherif/Ahmed vs. Alayo/Diaz – Final, 28 Sept 2025
“For me, this place has always been a great place to remember, because this is where I played my first Olympics and it was amazing here in Copacabana. The fans make us feel at home here,” Cherif remarked after the final. “It was a great fight against Cuba tonight, but in the end, it was beach volleyball that won.”
Ahmed shared his excitement, “This is unbelievable! I don’t know how we did it, but we had a great performance. Being far away from the family is not easy, but I would like to thank my family back home for being patient. I have a new-born baby waiting for me back at home and I am so happy that I can bring the gold medal to her.”
Bronze Medal Match
In the third-place playoff, Boermans & De Groot staged a comeback from a set down to defeat last year’s Rio bronze medalists, Martins Plavins & Kristians Fokerots of Latvia, with a 2-1 (17-21, 21-17, 15-11) victory. Boermans was instrumental, scoring a match-high 33 points, which included four aces and four kill blocks. De Groot added 11 points through powerful swings. Fokerots led the fourth-seeded Latvian team with 27 points, comprising three blocks and two aces.
Bronze Match Highlights: Plavins/Fokerots vs. Boermans/de Groot
Semifinal Recap
Earlier on Sunday, the semifinals set the stage for the medal matches. Cherif & Ahmed secured a decisive 2-0 (21-19, 21-17) win against Plavins & Fokerots. Cherif delivered an impressive performance with two aces and two kill blocks, totaling 19 points, while Ahmed contributed another 15 points.
Semifinal Highlights: Plavins/Fokerots vs. Cherif/Ahmed
In the other semifinal, Alayo & Diaz caused an upset by defeating Boermans & De Groot in a tight 2-1 (15-21, 21-18, 19-17) match, persevering through an overtime tie-breaker. Alayo led the Cuban team with 22 points, including three kill blocks and two aces, supported by Diaz`s 12 points. Boermans was the top scorer of that match with 27 points, showcasing six stuffs and three service points.
Semifinal Highlights: Alayo/Diaz vs. Boermans/de Groot
VW Beach Pro Tour Rio de Janeiro Elite: All Results
For detailed match results and statistics from the Rio de Janeiro Elite, please refer to official tournament records.
Oliver Wrenwick