MUSCAT, OCT 22
Oman B ended the fifth CISM World Military Beach Volleyball Championship on the podium after Haitham al Shraiqi and Ahmed al Hosni defeated Germany 2-1 to claim the men’s bronze medal at the Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex in Bausher.
The victory provided a fitting conclusion to the Omani pair’s campaign and avenged their straight-set defeat against Germany in their opening match.
After that early setback, Oman B responded with a 2-1 comeback victory over France before defeating the Netherlands in straight sets. Although they later lost 2-0 to Qatar, the hosts advanced to the knockout stage and overcame Algeria in the quarterfinals.
Their challenge for the title ended with a narrow 2-1 semifinal defeat against Brazil. Oman won the second set 23-21 and pushed the deciding set to the closing points before the Brazilians edged it 16-14.
Al Shraiqi and Al Hosni recovered from that disappointment to defeat Germany in the third-place play-off, completing their campaign with a bronze medal and securing an Omani presence on the championship podium.
Oman A also reached the men’s quarterfinals after recording a straight-set victory over Sri Lanka during the group stage, but their campaign ended before the medal matches.
Qatar completed an unbeaten run by defeating Brazil 2-0 in the men’s final. The Qatari pairing of Cherif Younousse and Ahmed Tijan took the gold medal, while Brazil finished as runners-up and received silver.
GERMANY TAKE WOMEN'S GOLD
Germany dominated the women’s competition, defeating France in straight sets in the final to secure the title and gold medal. France took silver, while Sri Lanka earned bronze after overcoming Algeria in the third-place contest. Germany also received the tournament’s Fair Play Award.
The closing ceremony was held under the auspices of Major General Matar bin Salim al Balushi, Commander of the Royal Army of Oman, in the presence of senior commanders, officers and representatives of the International Military Sports Council.
The chief guest presented medals to the leading teams in both competitions. The championship was organised by the Ministry of Defence, represented by the Chief of Staff of the Sultan’s Armed Forces.
The seven-day event featured 39 matches, comprising 28 men’s fixtures and 11 women’s contests. Eight countries competed in the men’s event, with hosts Oman fielding two teams, while six nations participated in the women’s competition.
The championship, held from October 15 to 22, concluded with Qatar winning the men’s title, Germany taking the women’s crown and Oman B earning a place among the medallists on home soil.
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