13-year-old, 2.10m Mubarak scores 12 points at Asian men's volleyball championship, Qatar still loses to Thailand

The second day of the Asian Men's Volleyball Championship in Fukuoka offered a rare sight at national-team level: Qatar lost 0-3 to Thailand, but the most talked-about name was not the highest scorer. Mubarak Musa Thiik Madut, a 13-year-old opposite hitter standing 2.10m, scored 12 points in his debut. Thailand won 25-22, 25-19, 25-14. Mubarak's 12 points included five kill blocks, two aces and five kills. The unusual balance between blocking and attacking suggests sharp reading at the net and possibly unstable reception for Qatar. For an opposite, scoring more blocks than kills is rare, especially at age 13 against senior competition. Thailand showed depth through Napadet Bhinijdee (14), Chaiwat Thungkham (13) and Thanat Bamrungphakdi (10). Australia swept Bahrain 3-0 with Lorenzo Pope scoring 19, Nehemiah Mote adding 11 at 75% attack efficiency and five blocks, and Lincoln Alexander Williams contributing 10. China beat India 3-0 but needed 25-21, 28-26, 27-25. Wang Bin and Chirag Yadav each scored 16. China secured full points but showed narrow margins in two sets. With Olympic 2028 and World Cup 2027 qualification at stake, every set matters. The tournament continues with Iran vs India, Qatar vs Chinese Taipei and Japan vs Bahrain. Mubarak's performance raises both excitement and caution about managing a 13-year-old through a demanding senior tournament.