Qatar spikers beat Australia ahead of AVC Nations Cup quarter-finals
Tribune News Network
Doha
Defending champions Qatar warmed up with a 3-0 win over Australia in their 'opening' match of the AVC Men's Volleyball Nations Cup in Manama, Bahrain, on Thursday.
Qatar won the three sets against Australia 25-22, 25-21 and 25-22 to top Group B. Raimi (13) and Ibrahim (10) stood out for Al Annabi while Flowerday (10) and Pope (3) excelled for Australia.
In the quarter-finals, to be played on June 21, Qatar will meet Vietnam while Australia will face South Korea.
Standing at number 24 in the FIVB World Ranking, Qatar are also the highest ranked team among all AVC Nations Cup participants. The Aussies are ranked 33rd.
Qatar's scheduled opening match in the tournament was to be against Kazakhstan but it cancelled following the latter's official withdrawal. Qatar decided to maintain the pre-set preparation schedule to avoid any disruption to the team's rhythm or mental focus.
Both Qatar and Australia had already advanced automatically to the quarter-finals due to Kazakhstan's withdrawal, making the showdown between the two a decisive step toward the title.
The knockout stage is set to begin on June 21, followed by the semi-finals on June 23, and the final on June 24, all taking place at Isa bin Rashid Hall in Riffa.
This year's tournament features three groups, with most groups comprising three teams each following Kazakhstan's withdrawal, reducing the total number of participating teams to 11. The top two teams from each group will advance to the single-elimination quarterfinals.
Team Qatar enters the tournament as the reigning champions, having won the 2024 edition—also held in Bahrain—when the event was known as the Asian Challenge Cup, following a well-deserved victory over Pakistan in the final. Now, the team is looking to build on that triumph and pursue back-to-back continental titles.
The newly rebranded competition, previously known as the AVC Men's Challenge Cup, is an annual continental tournament. In light of recent reforms in the Volleyball Nations League, the AVC Men's Nations Cup now assumes a crucial role. It provides national teams not currently participating in the VNL the chance to gain FIVB Volleyball World Ranking points and potentially secure entry into the top-tier global competition.
Moreover, the tournament champions will earn a berth at the 2026 Asian Men's Volleyball Championship, a key qualifier for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games, and one of the routes to the 2027 FIVB Men's Volleyball World Championship.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Qatar Tribune
a day ago
- Qatar Tribune
Qatar spikers beat Australia ahead of AVC Nations Cup quarter-finals
Tribune News Network Doha Defending champions Qatar warmed up with a 3-0 win over Australia in their 'opening' match of the AVC Men's Volleyball Nations Cup in Manama, Bahrain, on Thursday. Qatar won the three sets against Australia 25-22, 25-21 and 25-22 to top Group B. Raimi (13) and Ibrahim (10) stood out for Al Annabi while Flowerday (10) and Pope (3) excelled for Australia. In the quarter-finals, to be played on June 21, Qatar will meet Vietnam while Australia will face South Korea. Standing at number 24 in the FIVB World Ranking, Qatar are also the highest ranked team among all AVC Nations Cup participants. The Aussies are ranked 33rd. Qatar's scheduled opening match in the tournament was to be against Kazakhstan but it cancelled following the latter's official withdrawal. Qatar decided to maintain the pre-set preparation schedule to avoid any disruption to the team's rhythm or mental focus. Both Qatar and Australia had already advanced automatically to the quarter-finals due to Kazakhstan's withdrawal, making the showdown between the two a decisive step toward the title. The knockout stage is set to begin on June 21, followed by the semi-finals on June 23, and the final on June 24, all taking place at Isa bin Rashid Hall in Riffa. This year's tournament features three groups, with most groups comprising three teams each following Kazakhstan's withdrawal, reducing the total number of participating teams to 11. The top two teams from each group will advance to the single-elimination quarterfinals. Team Qatar enters the tournament as the reigning champions, having won the 2024 edition—also held in Bahrain—when the event was known as the Asian Challenge Cup, following a well-deserved victory over Pakistan in the final. Now, the team is looking to build on that triumph and pursue back-to-back continental titles. The newly rebranded competition, previously known as the AVC Men's Challenge Cup, is an annual continental tournament. In light of recent reforms in the Volleyball Nations League, the AVC Men's Nations Cup now assumes a crucial role. It provides national teams not currently participating in the VNL the chance to gain FIVB Volleyball World Ranking points and potentially secure entry into the top-tier global competition. Moreover, the tournament champions will earn a berth at the 2026 Asian Men's Volleyball Championship, a key qualifier for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games, and one of the routes to the 2027 FIVB Men's Volleyball World Championship.
Qatar Tribune
2 days ago
- Qatar Tribune
Team Qatar set for Asian Men's Volleyball Cup in Bahrain
QOC Manama Team Qatar are intensifying their preparations in Bahrain for the sixth edition of the Asian Men's Volleyball Cup, which runs through June 24, with high hopes of defending the continental title it won in 2024 and further cementing Qatar's strong presence on the Asian volleyball scene. Under the leadership of Argentine coach Camilo Soto, the team is focusing on boosting both technical and physical readiness. The current phase follows a comprehensive training program that began in Doha, including specialized drills and high-level friendly matches, most notably against Japan—one of Asia's volleyball powerhouses. Although Qatar's scheduled opening match against Kazakhstan was canceled following the latter's official withdrawal from the tournament for personal reasons, the coaching staff opted not to arrange a replacement fixture. Instead, they decided to maintain the pre-set preparation schedule to avoid any disruption to the team's rhythm or mental focus. The decision reflects the squad's strong commitment to achieving optimal readiness ahead of their upcoming clash with Australia on June 19—a match that will likely determine the top spot in Group B. Both Qatar and Australia have already advanced automatically to the quarter-finals due to Kazakhstan's withdrawal, making the showdown between the two a decisive step toward the title. The knockout stage is set to begin on June 21, followed by the semi-finals on June 23, and the final on June 24, all taking place at Isa bin Rashid Hall in Riffa. This year's tournament features three groups, with most groups comprising three teams each following Kazakhstan's withdrawal, reducing the total number of participating teams to 11. The top two teams from each group will advance to the single-elimination quarter-finals. Team Qatar enters the tournament as the reigning champions, having won the 2024 edition—also held in Bahrain—when the event was known as the Asian Challenge Cup, following a well-deserved victory over Pakistan in the final. Now, the team is looking to build on that triumph and pursue back-to-back continental titles.
Qatar Tribune
2 days ago
- Qatar Tribune
Qatar leads e-mobility transition in MENA region: PwC report
Tribune News Network Doha Qatar is rapidly advancing its transition to electric mobility, in alignment with Qatar National Vision 2030 and the Third National Development Strategy (NDS3), which emphasises sustainability, economic diversification, and technology-driven growth. The tailored plans implemented in this area have played a pivotal role in steering the country towards a sustainable mobility future. Among these is the Electric Vehicle Strategy 2021, which sets ambitious targets—including electric vehicles (EVs) comprising 10 percent of total vehicle sales by 2030—and supports the rapid deployment of EV infrastructure to facilitate a zero-emission transport future. These insights come from a recent report released by PwC, which notes that EVs are gaining traction in Qatar. The report projects that sales of battery electric vehicles (BEVs) will rise from 1.1 percent in 2024 to approximately 14.4 percent by 2035, while sales of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) are expected to grow from 0.7 percent in 2024 to 9.6 percent by 2035. The report highlights the Ministry of Transport's key role in driving the transition to sustainable mobility through a range of strategic initiatives aimed at building a cleaner, more efficient, and environmentally conscious transport system. Thanks to these strategies, 73 percent of Qatar's public buses are already electric—an indication of the country's tangible shift towards green mobility. Additionally, the Ministry has played a significant role in establishing an e-bus assembly plant in the Um Al Houl Free Zone, a joint initiative between Mowasalat (Karwa) and Yutong. The 2022 FIFA World Cup Qatar marked a milestone in showcasing the nation's e-mobility capabilities. More than 1,000 electric buses were deployed to transport fans and visitors, making it the first-ever FIFA World Cup held in the Middle East with such a strong emphasis on electric transport. By shifting to e-mobility and cleaner energy generation, Qatar can potentially reduce CO2 emissions by nearly 5 percent compared to a fully internal combustion engine fleet—reinforcing its commitment to sustainable, low-carbon transportation. Qatar's dedication to sustainability, coupled with attractive green financing options, further strengthens its position in this sector. With a projected annual economic growth rate of 4.1 percent between 2025 and 2029 and a population expected to reach 3.2 million by 2030, the country is well-placed for sustainable market expansion. The report also points to significant efforts to install over 1,000 EV charging stations by 2030, with plans to expand this number to 4,000 by 2035. Qatar has set ambitious renewable energy targets, aiming for solar capacity to reach 5 gigawatts by 2035—enabling the country to potentially meet EV charging demand entirely through clean energy. To support the development of its e-mobility ecosystem, Qatar has made strategic investments. In 2023, Ecotranzit unveiled prototypes of Vim, the first EV to incorporate Qatari intellectual property. Meanwhile, ABB E-mobility, a global leader in EV charging solutions, partnered with the Public Works Authority (Ashghal) to establish a state-of-the-art service and training centre in the Um Al Houl Free Zone, providing both theoretical and practical training on EV charging infrastructure. Qatar is also emerging as a key international investment partner, with the Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) investing in major EV battery manufacturers such as SK On—positioning the country as an important player in the global EV battery sector.
