13-year-old Qatari prodigy shocks with 12 points and 5 blocks in Asian Championship

Asian Championship 2026: 13-year-old Qatari prodigy shocks with 12 points and 5 blocks Fukuoka, Japan - The second day of the 2026 Men's Volleyball Asian Championship was lively with many surprises. Qatar lost 0-3 to Thailand with set scores 22-25, 19-25, 14-25. But the highlight was young talent Mubarak Musa Thiik Madut, Qatar's opposite player. The 13-year-old boy, 2.10m tall, scored 12 points for his team, including 5 blocks, 2 aces and 5 successful attacks. According to the data, this achievement is outstanding compared to other players of similar young age. Qatar seems to build their play around the opposite position of the player, though the reception system struggled as Thailand adjusted tactics, resulting in a large margin in set 3. In other matches, China won 3-0 against India with scores 25-21, 28-26, 27-25. The hosts struggled in sets 2 and 3, showing fragility in reception against India's serving. Australia continued their good form by winning against Bahrain 3-0. The team distributed points evenly through Lorenzo Pope with 19 points, Nehemiah Mote with 75% attack efficiency and 5 blocks, and Lincoln Alexander Williams. Thailand showed overall strength with three players scoring over 10 points: Napadet Bhinijdee 14 points, Chaiwat Thungkham 13 points and Thanat Bamrungphakdi 10 points. The analysis shows Thailand has offensive depth, different from Qatar's heavy reliance on one player. Today's matches include Iran vs India, Qatar vs Chinese Taipei and Japan vs Bahrain, deciding the group standings. With qualification for the 2028 Olympics and 2027 World Cup, every result is important. Source: AVC