A 13-year-old makes history in Fukuoka as Asia’s championship heats up

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The second day of the AVC Men’s Volleyball Asian Championship in Fukuoka delivered three straight-set victories, but it was a 13-year-old making his senior international debut who became one of the tournament’s biggest talking points.
Qatar’s Mubarak Musa Thiik Madut may have ended the day on the losing side, but the teenager produced a performance that immediately put his name on the map. At just 13 years old and standing 2.10 metres tall, the opposite scored 12 points against Thailand, showing remarkable maturity on one of the biggest stages of his young career.
Thailand eventually took control of the Pool C encounter, winning 25:22, 25:19, 25:14. Napadet Bhinijdee led the winners with 14 points, including an ace and a block, while Chaiwat Thungkham added 13 and Thanat Bamrungphakdi finished with 10.
But the most remarkable numbers belonged to Madut. The Qatari teenager recorded five blocks, two aces and five successful attacks, accounting for 12 of his team’s points. His debut offered a glimpse of a player whose physical profile and composure could make him a fascinating prospect for the future of Asian volleyball.

Australia also began its campaign in Pool A on a winning note, overcoming Bahrain 3-0 (25:20, 25:18, 25:21).
Lorenzo Pope was the driving force behind the Australian victory, finishing with a match-high 19 points. The outside hitter combined 14 kills with four aces, repeatedly putting Bahrain under pressure from both the service line and in attack.
Nehemiah Mote was equally influential at the net. The middle blocker produced five of Australia’s nine blocks and attacked at an impressive 75% efficiency, ending the match with 11 points. Opposite Lincoln Alexander Williams contributed 10 more, while Bahrain’s Mahmood Ahmed Abdulwahed was his team’s leading scorer with 10.

China had to work considerably harder for its victory, despite also completing a 3-0 result. In Pool B, the hosts of the 2026 edition faced a determined India side in a match that lasted more than 90 minutes.
China eventually prevailed 25:21, 28:26, 27:25, with the second and third sets both requiring extra points to be decided.
Wang Bin and India’s Chirag Yadav shared the match-high scoring honours with 16 points apiece. Zhang Jingyin added 12 for China, including two blocks, while India’s captain and opposite Jerome Vinith Charles scored 10 points, supported by two aces.
The result gave China an important opening victory, but India’s resistance showed just how competitive Pool B could become as the tournament progresses.

The AVC Men’s Volleyball Asian Championship is not only a battle for continental supremacy.
The competition also carries significant qualification implications, serving as one of the events on the road to the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games and the 2027 FIVB Men’s Volleyball World Championship.
The action in Fukuoka continues on Sunday, September 6, with three more matches on the schedule. Iran will face India in Pool B at 10:00 local time, followed by Qatar against Chinese Taipei in Pool C at 13:30. The day will conclude with Japan taking on Bahrain in Pool A at 19:30.
And while the tournament is still in its opening stages, one story has already captured attention well beyond the results: a 13-year-old stepping onto the senior international stage and showing that, in volleyball, extraordinary talent has no minimum age.

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🏐| Group stage schedule:

Friday September 4, 2026
12.00 (Local Time) – Iran – New Zealand 3-0 (25:15, 25:12, 25:22)
16.00 (Local Time) – Republic of Korea – Chinese Taipei 3-1 (29:27, 19:25, 25:15, 25:15)
19.30 (Local Time) – Japan – Oman 3-1 (25:18, 25:13, 20:25, 25:9)

👉🏼Saturday September 5, 2026
10.00 (Local Time) – Australia – Bahrain 3-0 (25:20, 25:18, 25:21)
13.30 (Local Time) – China – India 3-0 (25:21, 28:26, 27:25)
16.00 (Local Time) – Qatar – Thailand 0-3 (22:25, 19:25, 14:25)

Sunday September 6, 2026
10.00 (Local Time) – Iran – India
13.30 (Local Time) – Qatar – Chinese Taipei
19.30 (Local Time) – Japan – Bahrain

Monday September 7, 2026
10.00 (Local Time) – Oman – Australia
13.30 (Local Time) – New Zealand – China
17.00 (Local Time) – Thailand – Republic of Korea

Tuesday September 8, 2026
10.00 (Local Time) – India – New Zealand
13.30 (Local Time) – Qatar – Republic of Korea
19.30 (Local Time) – Japan – Australia

Wednesday September 9, 2026
10.00 (Local Time) – Bahrain – Oman
13.30 (Local Time) – Chinese Taipei – Thailand
17.00 (Local Time) – Iran – China

After the group stage, eight teams will advance to the quarterfinals, and on September 13, the Asian champion and the first men’s team to win an Olympic quota for Los Angeles 2028 through the qualification system will be determined.

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