Qatar go down fighting to USA

RIO DE JANEIRO: Qatar’s beach volleyball team of Jefferson Pereira and Cherif Younousse, who are making their debut in Olympics, went down fighting 16-21, 16-21 to leading US pair of Jake Gibb and Casey Patterson in their opening match at the Copacabana Beach Arena here on Saturday.

The Qatari duo, who are drawn in Pool F will next take on Spanish pair of Gavira Collado and Herrera Allepuz on Monday.

They had made the Rio cut after winning the Asian Volleyball Confederation’s Continental Cup in Sydney, Australia.

“I’m so proud and very happy to compete in the Olympics and be the youngest player in the men’s tournament,” said Cherif.

“It is so different, the court is so huge and we got lost at the beginning of the first sets as we were playing against two very experienced guys and now we know we are in the competition.

“After we won the Continental Cup I just thought about it. I just need to use the experience and just enjoy it,” added Cherif.