Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour
Olympic Games Paris 2024
Saturday, July 27, 2024
Match #7: Pool A
(12) Samuele Cottafava/Paolo Nicolai, Italy
vs.
(13) Cherif Samba/Ahmed Tijan, Qatar
Samuele Cottafava
Italy
Photo: FIVB
Personal Info
Birth Date: Nov 1, 1998 (25 yrs old)
Home Town: Modena
Resides: Modena
Height: 194 cm (6'4")
Weight: 75 kg (165 lb)
Seasons: 6
Tournaments: 46
Career Wins: 4
Career Winnings: US$151,892.41
Paolo Nicolai
Italy
Photo: FIVB
Personal Info
Birth Date: Aug 6, 1988 (35 yrs old)
Home Town: Ortona
Resides: Ortona
Height: 203 cm (6'8")
Weight: 91 kg (200 lb)
Seasons: 19
Tournaments: 150
Career Wins: 7
Career FIVB WT Wins: 4
Career Winnings: US$688,787.50
Team Career Summary 
TourPlayed1234579131725Money
FIVB291330809230 US$287,250.00
Previous Paris Results 
YearPartner - ResultPartner - Result
2022 Paolo Nicolai - 3rd Samuele Cottafava - 3rd
2023 Paolo Nicolai - 5th Samuele Cottafava - 5th
Recent Results 
TourDateTournamentSeedFinishPointsMoney
FIVB 7/9-14/2024 Elite16 Vienna   0 US$0.00
FIVB 7/3-7/2024 Elite16 Gstaad   0 US$0.00
FIVB 6/5-9/2024 Elite16 Ostrava 8 5 760 US$8,000.00
FIVB 5/22-26/2024 BPT Elite16 Espinho 7 9 600 US$6,000.00
FIVB 4/17-21/2024 Elite16 Tepic 6 13 460 US$5,000.00
FIVB 3/5-9/2024 Elite16 Doha 4 5 760 US$8,000.00
FIVB 12/6-9/2023 BPT Finals Doha 2023 8 5 0 US$20,000.00
FIVB 11/22-26/2023 Elite16 Joao Pessoa 5 2 1100 US$20,000.00
FIVB 10/6-15/2023 Beach Volleyball World Championships 8 9 800 US$11,000.00
FIVB 9/27-10/1/2023 Elite16 Paris 6 5 760 US$8,000.00
FIVB 8/16-20/2023 Elite16 Hamburg 13, Q3 2 1100 US$20,000.00
FIVB 7/26-30/2023 Elite16 Montréal Q8 17 400 US$0.00
FIVB 7/20-23/2023 Challenge Edmonton 13 3 720 US$7,000.00
FIVB 7/13-16/2023 Challenge Portugal 7 9 460 US$2,500.00
FIVB 6/15-18/2023 Challenge Jurmala 3 9 460 US$2,500.00
FIVB 5/31-6/4/2023 Elite16 Ostrava Q2 17 400 US$0.00
FIVB 4/26-30/2023 Elite16 Uberlândia 9 9 600 US$6,000.00
FIVB 3/22-26/2023 Elite16 Tepic 9 5 760 US$8,000.00
FIVB 2/1-5/2023 Doha Elite16 9 9 600 US$6,000.00
FIVB 1/26-29/2023 Beach Pro Tour Finals 6 3 0 US$50,000.00
FIVB 11/2-6/2022 Cape Town Elite 16 4 5 760 US$8,000.00
FIVB 9/28-10/2/2022 Paris Elite 16 3 3 1000 US$14,000.00
FIVB 8/10-14/2022 Hamburg Elite 16 7 5 760 US$8,000.00
Olympic Games Paris 2024 Matches
DateBracketOpponentScoreTime
Sat, 7/27/2024 Pool A Cherif Samba / Ahmed Tijan, Qatar (13)    
Sat, 7/27/2024 Pool A Izac Carracher / Mark Nicolaidis, Australia (24)    
Sun, 7/28/2024 Pool A David Ahman / Jonatan Hellvig, Sweden (1)    
Olympic Games, World Championships Results 
YearLocationPartner - ResultPartner - Result
2009Stavanger Did not play Matteo Varnier - 17th
2011Rome Did not play Matteo Martino - 9th
2012London Did not play Daniele Lupo - 5th
2013Stare Jablonki Did not play Daniele Lupo - 9th
2015The Hague Did not play Daniele Lupo - 17th
2016Rio de Janeiro Did not play Daniele Lupo - 2nd
2017Vienna Did not play Daniele Lupo - 17th
2019Hamburg Did not play Daniele Lupo - 5th
2021Tokyo Did not play Daniele Lupo - 5th
2022Rome Paolo Nicolai - 9th Samuele Cottafava - 9th
2023Tlaxcala Paolo Nicolai - 9th Samuele Cottafava - 9th

Cherif Younousse Samba
Qatar
Photo: FIVB
Personal Info
Birth Date: May 22, 1995 (29 yrs old)
Home Town: Dakar, Senegal
Resides: Doha
Height: 195 cm (6'5")
Weight: 76 kg (167 lb)
Seasons: 11
Tournaments: 85
Career Wins: 5
Career Winnings: US$292,900.00
Ahmed Tijan
Qatar
Photo: FIVB
Personal Info
Birth Date: Apr 28, 1995 (29 yrs old)
Home Town: Banjul, Gambia
Resides: Doha
Height: 186 cm (6'1")
Weight: 80 kg (176 lb)
Seasons: 10
Tournaments: 79
Career Wins: 4
Career Winnings: US$265,100.00
Team Career Summary 
TourPlayed1234579131725334149Money
FIVB614651151152100110 US$516,000.00
FIVB Age Group WC10000000000001 US$0.00
Other10000000100000 US$0.00
Overall634651151153100111 US$516,000.00
Previous Paris Results 
YearPartner - ResultPartner - Result
2022 Ahmed Tijan - 5th Cherif Samba - 5th
Recent Results 
TourDateTournamentSeedFinishPointsMoney
FIVB 7/9-14/2024 Elite16 Vienna   0 US$0.00
FIVB 7/3-7/2024 Elite16 Gstaad   0 US$0.00
FIVB 6/5-9/2024 Elite16 Ostrava 11 9 600 US$6,000.00
FIVB 5/22-26/2024 BPT Elite16 Espinho 10 13 460 US$5,000.00
FIVB 5/1-5/2024 Elite16 Brasília 8 5 760 US$8,000.00
FIVB 3/5-9/2024 Elite16 Doha 12 5 760 US$8,000.00
FIVB 12/6-9/2023 BPT Finals Doha 2023 1 4 0 US$35,000.00
FIVB 11/22-26/2023 Elite16 Joao Pessoa 13, Q1 5 760 US$8,000.00
FIVB 10/6-15/2023 Beach Volleyball World Championships 7 17 640 US$7,000.00
FIVB 8/16-20/2023 Elite16 Hamburg 6 5 760 US$8,000.00
FIVB 7/26-30/2023 Elite16 Montréal 5 5 760 US$8,000.00
FIVB 7/5-9/2023 Elite16 Gstaad 2 5 760 US$8,000.00
FIVB 5/31-6/4/2023 Elite16 Ostrava 7 2 1100 US$20,000.00
FIVB 3/22-26/2023 Elite16 Tepic 8 13 460 US$5,000.00
FIVB 2/1-5/2023 Doha Elite16 4 9 600 US$6,000.00
FIVB 1/26-29/2023 Beach Pro Tour Finals 1 7 0 US$15,000.00
FIVB 11/2-6/2022 Cape Town Elite 16 3 3 1000 US$14,000.00
FIVB 10/13-16/2022 Maldives Challenge 1 1 800 US$10,000.00
FIVB 9/28-10/2/2022 Paris Elite 16 6 5 760 US$8,000.00
Olympic Games Paris 2024 Matches
DateBracketOpponentScoreTime
Sat, 7/27/2024 Pool A Samuele Cottafava / Paolo Nicolai, Italy (12)    
Sat, 7/27/2024 Pool A David Ahman / Jonatan Hellvig, Sweden (1)    
Sun, 7/28/2024 Pool A Izac Carracher / Mark Nicolaidis, Australia (24)    
Olympic Games, World Championships Results 
YearLocationPartner - ResultPartner - Result
2015The Hague Jefferson Santos Pereira - 5th Did not play
2016Rio de Janeiro Jefferson Santos Pereira - 9th Did not play
2017Vienna Jefferson Santos Pereira - 9th Did not play
2019Hamburg Ahmed Tijan - 17th Cherif Samba - 17th
2021Tokyo Ahmed Tijan - 3rd Cherif Samba - 3rd
2022Rome Ahmed Tijan - 9th Cherif Samba - 9th
2023Tlaxcala Ahmed Tijan - 17th Cherif Samba - 17th
Head to Head Results
Cottafava/Nicolai lead the series 4-3
DateTourTournamentRoundWinning TeamSeedLosing TeamSeedScoreTime
7/27/24FIVBOlympic Games Paris 2024 Pool A          
5/24/24FIVBBPT Elite16 Espinho Pool B Cottafava/Nicolai 7 Samba/Tijan 10 21-19, 19-21, 15-8 0:52
3/6/24FIVBElite16 Doha Pool D Cottafava/Nicolai 4 Samba/Tijan 12 17-21, 21-17, 15-8 0:48
12/6/23FIVBBPT Finals Doha 2023 Pool A Samba/Tijan 1 Cottafava/Nicolai 8 21-19, 21-19 0:38
11/23/23FIVBElite16 Joao Pessoa Pool D Samba/Tijan 13, Q1 Cottafava/Nicolai 5 21-13, 16-21, 15-13 0:52
3/24/23FIVBElite16 Tepic Pool A Cottafava/Nicolai 9 Samba/Tijan 8 21-18, 21-12 0:31
9/30/22FIVBParis Elite 16 Pool C Samba/Tijan 6 Cottafava/Nicolai 3 21-18, 26-24 0:42
6/5/22FIVBJurmala Elite 16 Gold Medal Cottafava/Nicolai 13, Q1 Samba/Tijan 1 16-21, 27-25, 15-12 0:56