Having cleared the first hurdle, the Qatar team (1) is upbeat and Ahmed says he and Cherif are committed to pushing the barrier higher. “We’re happy to have qualified for the next stage after being on the top of the group. We’re waiting for the draw to learn about the first opponents. The going has been good so far. Everything is fine and we want continue the momentum. We’re enjoying the world championships and will keep our high-level of beach volleyball as we’re aiming a podium finish in Hamburg.”

Qatar’s second pair of Tamer Abdelrasoul and Assam Mahmoud lost their third Pool E match to Americans Billy Allen and Stafford Slick United 13-21, 11-21 and bowed out of the world championship, finishing fourth and last.