Gstaad, Switzerland: Qatari Olympic medalists Cherif Younousse and Ahmed Tijan claimed their second title of the 2025 season in remarkable fashion, emerging victorious at the prestigious Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour Elite tournament held in the scenic Swiss Alps on Sunday. This marks their first-ever triumph in Gstaad, a venue where the duo has been competing since 2018.

In a thrilling final match, Cherif and Ahmed defeated Sweden’s Jacob Hölting Nilsson and Elmer Andersson in straight but hard-fought sets, 21-19 and 22-20. The Qatari pair had to fend off a fierce comeback from the Swedes in the second set, who rallied from a 20-15 deficit to level the score at 20-all. However, Ahmed sealed the win with back-to-back points, securing the gold medal and ending the match in style.

“They had been playing very well since the tournament started,” said Cherif. “Their comeback in the second set was crazy, but we were ready for anything. At this level, you have to expect the unexpected — there are no easy matches.”

After a late start to the 2025 season, Cherif and Ahmed won gold at the Xiamen Challenge in May and placed fifth at the Ostrava Elite in June. Their persistence and resilience paid off in Gstaad, where they finally captured the coveted golden cowbells. Expressing gratitude to the Swiss fans, Cherif added, “Since 2021, the support we receive here is incredible — it doesn’t matter who we play against, the crowd is always behind