Qatar secured two significant gold medals at the 20th Asian Games held in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, on Saturday, marking a historic achievement in the continent’s sporting history. The nation captured its first-ever gold medal in men’s padel and extended its dominance in men’s beach volleyball with a third consecutive Asian Games title.
In men’s padel, the Qatari duo Rashid Nawaf and Mishari Nawaf won the country’s inaugural gold medal in the sport, which made its debut in the Asian Games program this year. The brothers displayed consistent and commanding performances throughout the tournament, ultimately defeating Malaysia’s Christian Chin and Aidan Yunus in straight sets, 6-3, 6-1, in the final held at Nagoya City Higashi Sports Center.
The Nawaf pair’s winning run included straight-sets victories over teams from Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, and Iran before reaching the final. Their success was celebrated by various Qatari sports officials, including H.E. Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani, President of the Olympic Council of Asia, and officials from the Qatar Olympic Committee and the Qatar Volleyball Association. The achievement was described as a milestone reflecting the country’s growing investment and development in padel. Rashid and Mishari Nawaf expressed pride and gratitude for the accomplishment, attributing their success to strong support from Qatar’s leadership.
Meanwhile, in men’s beach volleyball, veterans Cherif Younousse and Ahmed Tijan clinched their third consecutive Asian Games gold medal, reinforcing their status as one of Asia’s dominant beach volleyball pairs. Their 2-1 victory over Indonesia's Bintang Akbar and Sofyan Rachman Efendi delivered a thrilling final. After dropping the first set narrowly, 19-21, the Qatari duo rebounded to take the second set 21-16 and secured the deciding set 15-8.
Younousse and Tijan maintained an unbeaten record throughout the competition, progressing from topping their group to defeating strong opponents from Iran and Thailand in knockout rounds. Qatari volleyball authorities praised the pair for their resilience and consistent top-tier performance, attributing their success to rigorous preparation and ongoing support from sports leadership. Both players dedicated the gold medal to Qatar and its leadership, emphasizing the importance of teamwork, dedication, and national pride in their achievements.
With these victories, Qatar raised its overall medal tally at the Games to 16, including five golds, as the event approached its final day. Officials and athletes expressed optimism about the country’s continued success across various disciplines, highlighting the role of state support in the advancement of Qatari sports on the continental stage.