Ahmed Affan
In the AVC Beach Tour’s Samila Open held from April 13 to 16, the Maldivian pair Ismail Sajid and Adam Naseem, also known as “Kuda Kaattey” and “Edama,” participated alongside Mohamed Ali, known as “Denzo,” and Ahmed Mohamed (Koakey).
Edama and Kuda Kaattey secured victory in their final group stage game against the Thai duo S. Nobphadon and Chatchawan J, with a scoreline of 2-1 sets: 18-21, 17-21, and 9-15. However, their journey in the tournament had its share of challenges.
In their opening match, Edama and Kuda Kaattey faced defeat against the Japanese pair Takahashi and Ikeda, with scores of 16-21 and 14-21. Their second match saw a similar outcome, with a loss to the New Zealand pair Reid and McManaway, with scores of 16-21 and 19-21.
On the other hand, Denzo and Koakey had a tough run in the tournament, facing losses in all their matches. They were defeated by the Indian pair in a closely contested match with scores of 12-21, 21-13, and 11-15. Subsequently, they faced defeats against the Qatar pair with scores of 8-21, 14-21, and the Iran pair with scores of 13-21, 7-21.
The absence of young talent Shamil Husain from the team selection sparked controversy, particularly as he had showcased his skills in the previous year’s CAVA Beach Volley Tour under the guidance of national volleyball Brazilian coach Vinicius Gioni. Notably, Edama and Kuda Kaattey had clinched the gold medal in that tournament.
