Iranian Victory Highlights This Week In World Tour HistoryIranian Victory Highlights This Week In World Tour History

A year ago, this week, the FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour was staging an event in Iran where host country favorites Alireza Aghajani and Javad Firouzpourbandpei won the Qeshm Island Cup.

Seeded 12th in the competition and playing in only their second World Tour event together after placing second earlier in the 2019-2020 season at an Iranian stop in Bandar Torkaman, they posted upset wins over country rivals in the medal rounds to secure the title with a pair of match wins in 34 minutes each on January 10.

With four of their six Qeshm Island wins over higher-seeded teams, Aghajani and Firouzpourbandpei defeated second-seeded Abolhamed Mirzaali/Rahman Raoufi 2-0 (21-11, 25-23) in the semifinals before clinching the gold medal with a 2-0 (21-17, 21-15) victory over top-seeded Bahman Salemi/Arash Vakili.

At the early October event in Bandar Torkaman, Aghajani and Firouzpourbandpei had posted a 2-1 (21-18, 14-21, 16-14) semifinal over Salemi and Vakili before losing the three-set finale to Nuttanon Inkiew and Sedtawat Padsawud of Thailand.