Oman men, women secure quarterfinal spots

Muscat: Oman’s men and women beach volleyball teams secured quarterfinals spots at the 30th Arab Men’s and 20th Arab Women’s Beach Volleyball Championships, following a series of spirited performances on the sands of the Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex in Bausher.

In the men’s competition, both Omani pairs including Hood al Jalbobi and Ahmed al Hosni; and Nooh al Jalbobi and Yousef al Abri confirmed their places in the quarterfinal stage following impressive wins. Hood and Ahmed produced a thrilling 2-1 victory against Tunisia’s Al Maddab and Lanfeliz while Nooh and Yousef showcased consistency to claim a straight-set (2-0) win over Saudi Arabia’s Dhyia and Ali.

Lebanon’s Merna and Lara defeated Oman’s Al Shaima and Furat 2-0.

Elsewhere in the men’s matches, Algeria’s Kaloosh and Swadi edged Bahrain’s Al Jashi and Ameen 2-1; and Bahrain’s duo Ali and Hassan Nasser triumphed over Saudi Arabia’s Siraj and Ahmed.

With these results, the men’s quarterfinal line-up included teams from Oman (two teams), Algeria, Bahrain, Tunisia and Saudi Arabia.

STRONG PRESENCE

In the women’s category, Oman’s presence remains strong as well. The pairs Maryam al Oraimi and Liqaa al Hosni, along with Al Shaima al Zadjali and Furat al Balushi, both booked their spots in the quarterfinals. Joining them are duos from Morocco (Mahasen and Yaqeen), Lebanon (Merna and Lara), Algeria (Shahiya and Ikram) and Saudi Arabia (Basma and Lujain; Sawsan and Lana).

Hood and Ahmed produced a thrilling 2-1 victory against Tunisia’s Al Maddab and Lanfeliz.

On Thursday, Lebanon’s Merna and Lara defeated Oman’s Al Shaima and Furat 2-0, while Saudi Arabia’s Basma and Lujain overcame Oman’s Maryam and Liqaa by the same margin. Morocco’s Mahasen and Yaqeen registered a 2-0 victory against Saudi Arabia’s Sawsan and Lana; and Algeria’s Shahiya and Ikram eased past Bahrain’s Muneera and Fatma by 2-0.

The championship, hosted by the Oman Volleyball Association (OVA), featured 20 teams including 12 men’s and eight women’s representing nations across the Arab region, including Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Egypt, Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco, Sudan and Oman.

The tournament will conclude on Saturday after four days of thrilling competitions with men’s final match.