Saudi Arabia’s boys’ team defies all odds to reach elimination round despite wild card entry.
The Saudi Arabian boys` team, granted a wild card entry into the FIVB Beach Volleyball Under 18 World Championship, has delivered an inspiring performance in Doha, exceeding all expectations.
Remarkably, 16-year-olds Ahmed Mafouz and Hadi Aljorfi only began playing beach volleyball five months prior to the championship. Despite their limited experience, the duo had already competed in Zonal and Asian Volleyball Confederation (AVC) Tours, facing much older and more seasoned senior players.
This U18 World Championship marked their first competition against peers their own age, and their journey was remarkable. Ahmed and Hadi impressively secured second place in Pool H with five points, advancing to the elimination round. Their only defeat in the pool phase came against the highly favored Brazilian team, Thomas Mathias Endler & Felippe Prudencio Arruda Barbiero. The Saudi pair achieved decisive 2-0 victories over Egypt’s Mohamed Khaled Mohamed & Abdelhamid Abdelfattah and Qatar’s Jassim Mahmoud Al-Tamimi & Saad Nasser Alawad. Their inspiring run concluded in the Round of 24, where they fell 2-0 (08-21, 11-21) to Venezuela’s Gerardo Andres Bordones Hernandez & Sebastian Alfredo Pereira Blanco on Friday.
A radiant Hadi expressed his gratitude, stating, “We feel privileged to have this opportunity to compete at the World Championship and play against teams of Brazil`s caliber. We understood the challenge of facing one of the tournament`s top teams, but we are thrilled to have defeated Qatar and Egypt to reach the elimination round.”
Saudi Arabia`s Hadi Aljorfi makes a pass during their Pool H match against Brazil.
Transitioning from indoor volleyball, Ahmed and Hadi faced typical challenges adapting to the sand court. However, they benefited immensely from the unique opportunity to train under the esteemed Brazilian coach, Vinicius Martins Giorni, throughout this change.
Hadi praised Coach Giorni, saying, “The transition has been smooth; we now feel comfortable playing in the sand after a very short time. We are eager to specialize in beach volleyball because we genuinely enjoy it, and our coach is incredibly supportive. He has taught us so much in this brief period, granting us the freedom to express ourselves on the court without pressure.”
“This is just the beginning. We want to work hard and play in high-level competitions in the future,” he added.
Saudi Arabia`s Ahmed Mafouz (right) dives to make a save as his teammate Hadi Aljorfi looks on during their Pool H match against Brazil.
Vinicius Martins Giorni, 45, oversees Saudi Arabia`s beach volleyball program, supported by a 12-month, USD 42,000 FIVB Volleyball Empowerment Programme Coach Support project. He expressed particular admiration for his team`s effort in their 2-0 (10-21, 11-21) loss to Brazil`s Thomas & Felippe, who were among only three boys` teams to finish the pool phase undefeated and without dropping a set.
Giorni remarked, “This competition offers them invaluable experience. Having played beach volleyball for merely five months, primarily against senior players, their performance against Brazil was commendable. Considering the Brazilian players began their beach volleyball careers at age 8, one can only be immensely proud of our team.”
Giorni added, “I`m pleased because we`ve begun to establish our own system. Our service reception and setting were strong. While we made several attacking errors, it`s encouraging to see a developing system. To control the ball against a team known for such powerful serves is a significant accomplishment.”
Brazilian coach Vinicius Martins Giorni is in charge of Saudi Arabia as part of the FIVB Volleyball Empowerment Programme.
Only five months into his tenure, Giorni believes that Saudi Arabia harbors immense untapped potential in beach volleyball, citing Ahmed and Hadi`s consistent progress as compelling evidence.
He advised, “This is just the beginning of our journey. I`m delighted that Saudi Arabians are developing an interest in beach volleyball. We must continue our efforts, as success isn`t instantaneous. Expanding our player base and bringing more individuals into beach volleyball is crucial for establishing robust infrastructure.”
Giorni concluded, “I am confident that with the continued support from the Federation, FIVB, and the Ministry of Sport, we can successfully implement our long-term plan, given the tremendous potential present in Saudi Arabia.”
Oliver Wrenwick