Qatar’s Cherif Younousse and Ahmed Tijan continued their remarkable season by capturing the gold medal at the 2025 Newport Beach Elite event. This prestigious win marks their third Elite-level gold of the season and the sixth of their careers on the Beach Pro Tour.
The Qatari duo remained undefeated throughout the tournament, dropping just one set in six matches. In the final, they delivered a commanding performance with a 2-0 (21-16, 30-28) win over Brazil’s Evandro Oliveira and Arthur Mariano Lanci, reinforcing their place as the world's No. 2 ranked team according to FIVB Beach Volleyball standings.
Standout Performances by Empowered Teams
Teams backed by the FIVB Volleyball Empowerment initiative showed strong results:
- Chile’s Marco and Esteban Grimalt clinched bronze after progressing from the qualifiers, taking down the Crabb brothers from the USA in straight sets (21-16, 21-18).
USA Dominates Women’s Draw
Top-seeded Americans Kristen Nuss and Taryn Brasher lived up to expectations, winning all six of their matches to earn their third Elite gold of the season. They triumphed in an all-American final with a 2-0 (21-15, 21-14) win over Julia Donlin and Lexy Denaburg.
Brazil’s Olympic gold medalists Ana Patricia Ramos and Eduarda "Duda" finished third, marking their fifth consecutive bronze medal performance on tour.
Event Highlights
- Hosted in Newport Beach, the tournament featured 28 men's and 28 women's teams from 20 nations.
- The FIVB Volleyball Empowerment program continued to demonstrate its influence by supporting teams striving for international success.
The next stop on the Beach Pro Tour will be in Cape Town, South Africa, as the Elite 16 event calendar continues.
For full event coverage and more information, visit the official article here.
