The Central Asian Volleyball Association (CAVA) beach volley championship ended today with a surprising early bow out from Maldives, after the team lost its quarter final match.
Iran's GhalehNovi and Abolhassan won the men's title, while the women's championship went to Kazakhstan's Kabulbekova and Ivanchenko's pair.
Four Maldivian pairs competed in the tournament which was held at Sri Lanka's Negombo Beach from last Sunday until yesterday. Both the women's and men's pairs reached the quarterfinals.
The men's two pairs include Ismail Sajid (Kuda Kaatte) and Adam Naseem (Adam), who won the tournament in Bhutan last year. The other pair was Mohamed Ali (Denzo) and Ahmed Mohamed (Koakey). The two women's pairs are Hawwa (Hawwa) Raashidhaa and Aishath Maajidha as well as Aminath Areesha and Fathimath Zeeniya.
Kuda Kaatte and Adam lost their first match to Sri Lanka's Dilipa and Malit 17 to 21, 21 to 14 and 15 to 11. They then lost to Kazakhstan's Gurin and Mohamed 18 to 21, 21 to 19 and 18-16. They also lost to Iran's GalehNovi and Abolhassan 16 to 21 and 11 to 21. In the quarter finals, they lost to Sri Lanka's Anjana and Sandun 19 to 21and 19 to 21.
Denzo and Koakey defeated Bhutan's Jume and Doji 21 to 14 and 21 to 12 in the first round. While they lost with 11-21and 14-21 to Anjana and Sandun earlier as well as to Yakoviev and Bogatu of Kazakhstan with a score of 14 to 21 and 11 to 2, they also lost to Nathin and Madusha of Sri Lanka 10 to 21and 15 to 2. They lost to Sri Lanka's Dilipa and Malit 12 to 21 and 12 to 21 in the quarterfinals.
Haawa and Maajidha won the main draw of the two women's pairs. The pair beat Bhutan's Zangmo and Leki 21 to 16 and 21 to 8 in the first round. Earlier, they lost to Sri Lanka's Shehani and Chatrika 7 to 21 and 7 to 21. They also lost to Kazakhstan's Ryukova and Karimova 15 to 21 and 12 to 21. They lost to Sri Lanka's Kasuni and Vasana 11 to 21, 17 to 21 in their first match. The pair also faced defeat against Kabulbekova and Ivanchenko in the quarter finals.
Areesha and Zeenya lost their opening match to Kabulbekova and Ivanchenko 14 to 21 and 13 to 21. They also lost to Kyrgyzstan's Rasulbek Kizi and Aitbekova with a score of 19 to 21, 14 to 21 and 15 to 9. Sri Lanka's Deepika and Kasuni also won over the pair with 18 to 21 and 14 to 21. They lost to Kasuni and Vasana 13 to 21 and 14 to 21 in the quarterfinals.
Kuda Kaatte and Adam previously beat Denzo and Koakey in Maldives' Beach Volleyball League and National Championships for the past two years. Hawwa and Maajidha won last year's National Beach Bolleyball tournament while Areesha and Zeeniya won the National Beach Volleyball League.
The Volleyball Association of Maldives (VAM) is currently preparing to launch the National Beach Volleyball League on the 5th of next month.