Qatar 4x400m Squad Books Place in World Championships Final

Tokyo - Qatar national team advanced to the final of the 4x400m relay for the first time in its history after finishing second in the heats held today, Saturday, at the 20th edition of the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo.The Qatari quartet - Abderrahman Samba, Yahya Ibrahim, Bassem Hemeida, and Ismail Dawood - clocked a time of 3:00.15 minutes to take second place behind South Africa, which topped the group with a time of 2:58.81 minutes.Also qualifying from the same group was the Netherlands, which posted its season's best of 3:00.23 minutes. In a surprising result, the US team failed to advance after finishing sixth.Qatar's Abderrahman Samba expressed his delight at contributing to the team's qualification for the final.He said the team ran as one unit and succeeded in achieving the target of reaching the final.He added that this was the first participation in the World Championships in the 4x400m relay, so ensuring qualification was a priority. The race plan focused on conserving energy as much as possible in order to deliver the strongest performance in the final.Samba pointed out that the final would be highly competitive but stressed that Qatar team is determined to fight for a medal and a place on the podium despite the tough field.Samba won the bronze medal yesterday in the 400m hurdles at the ongoing World Athletics Championships in Tokyo 2025.  

Qatar Wrestlers Shine in Zagreb with Consecutive Victories at World Championships

Zagreb – Qatar’s wrestlers continued their strong run at the 2025 Wrestling World Championships, as Aref Mohamedi delivered a brilliant performance to secure a 3-1 victory over India’s Sunny Kumar in the 63kg weight class, earning Team Qatar another valuable win in the Croatian capital.Mohamedi will now raise the challenge even higher when he faces Moldova’s representative Vitalie Eriomenco in the same division in the quarterfinals. This marks Qatar’s second triumph of the tournament, after Shaheen Mohammed opened the winning campaign last Thursday with a thrilling 6-4 victory over American opponent Millashvili in the 82kg category.The Championships bring together more than 900 wrestlers from 65 nations, with competitions running until September 22 in an atmosphere full of excitement and intensity. Team Qatar aim to write another chapter in the nation’s sporting success.Qatar’s delegation features a strong lineup led by Shaheen Mohammed (82kg), Aref Mohamedi (63kg), Saud Al-Mufqahi (77kg), and Rafeeq Al-Natsha (72kg), under the guidance of experienced Iranian head coach Malek Ali and Armenian assistant Kazarian. The team competes with ambition and determination to reach the podium. 

Qatar’s Samba Storms to Bronze in World 400m Hurdles Final

Tokyo – Qatari star Abderrahman Samba won the bronze medal in the 400m hurdles on Friday at the 20th World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, delivering a proud moment for his country.Samba clocked a season-best time of 47.06 seconds to secure third place and step onto the podium. The gold medal went to American Rai Benjamin, who ran a season’s best of 46.52 seconds, while Brazilian Alison dos Santos took silver in 46.84 seconds. Defending champion and world record holder Karsten Warholm of Norway finished fifth in 47.58 seconds.Qatar’s second finalist, Ismail Dawood, placed eighth with a time of 49.82 seconds.After the race, Samba expressed his pride and gratitude, describing the medal as the fruit of years of hard work. “It’s an indescribable feeling,” he said, adding that he had overcome long absences and injuries to return to the global stage. While his goal was gold, he was satisfied to stand on the podium at one of the sport’s biggest events.Samba also highlighted Qatar’s growing strength in the 400m hurdles, pointing to the presence of three Qatari athletes in the semifinals as proof of the nation’s progress. He voiced confidence that the next generation would build on this momentum and eventually capture gold. 

Team Qatar battles Hard but Falls to US and China at U-23 FIBA 3x3 World Championship

Beijing – Team Qatar faced a tough start at the U-23 FIBA 3x3 World Championship, falling to the United States and host nation China on the opening day of competition in Xiong’an, China. The tournament runs over three days with 20 teams in action.Qatar’s squad—Mohammed Bashir, Mahmoud Darwish, Mubarak Jama, and Mustafa Ndaw—put up a strong fight against the Americans before losing 15–21 in their Group D opener. In their second game, the Qataris pushed China all the way in a thrilling contest, narrowly going down 18–21 after trading the lead until the closing moments, much to the delight of the home crowd.The team will look to bounce back on Saturday with crucial group-stage games against Latvia and Fiji, aiming for back-to-back wins to keep their quarter-final hopes alive.The 20 participating nations are split into four groups: Group A features Germany, Lithuania, Poland, Croatia, and Iran; Group B includes France, New Zealand, the Czech Republic, Serbia, and Egypt; Group C brings together Mongolia, Italy, Algeria, Argentina, and Venezuela; while Group D is made up of Qatar, the United States, China, Latvia, and Fiji. 

Team Qatar maintain 53rd Spot in FIFA's August World Rankings

Zurich, September 18 – Qatar have retained their 53rd position in FIFA’s World Rankings for August, released on Thursday.The two-time Asian champions collected 1,453.65 points, placing them fifth among Asian and Arab nations.In August, Julen Lopetegui’s side played two friendlies, drawing 2-2 with Bahrain and falling 1-4 to Russia, as part of their build-up to the AFC playoff stage of the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers. Qatar will host Oman on October 8 and the UAE on October 14 in Doha.In the third round of AFC qualifiers, Qatar finished fourth in Group A with 13 points from 10 matches. Iran led the group with 23 points, followed by Uzbekistan (21), UAE (15), Kyrgyzstan (8), and North Korea (3).On the global stage, Spain returned to the top of the FIFA rankings for the first time since 2014, overtaking Argentina, who slipped to third. France climbed to second, while Germany dropped out of the top 10 to 12th after a 0-2 defeat to Slovakia in World Cup qualifying. 

Qatar Olympic Committee Empowers Leadership in Cybersecurity and Data Protection

DOHA  – As part of its ongoing efforts to enhance digital resilience and foster a secure organizational environment, the Qatar Olympic Committee (QOC), through its Human Resources and Administrative Affairs Department, hosted a specialized training workshop on Thursday titled: “Cybersecurity for Leaders: Data Protection and Compliance with International Standards.”Held at Lusail Hall at the QOC headquarters, the workshop brought together sector directors and directors of departments and their Assistants  for a focused session designed to elevate leadership awareness and capabilities in managing cybersecurity challenges and protecting sensitive information in today’s rapidly evolving digital landscape.Led by cybersecurity expert Eng. Mahmoud Al-Dabbagh, the session addressed a wide range of essential topics, including: Email security and phishing detection techniques Organizational policies for device and data protection Mobile security and secure browsing practices Safeguarding personal data privacy in accordance with international standards Responsible and secure use of AI technologies.The workshop was highly interactive, with participants engaging in in-depth discussions, sharing real-world scenarios, and exploring practical solutions. This dynamic exchange enriched the learning experience and reinforced the applicability of the knowledge shared.Mr. Hamad Mohammed Salem Al-Marri, Assistant Director of the Information Systems Department at QOC, emphasized that the workshop is part of a broader, integrated training strategy aimed at building staff capabilities and strengthening the Committee’s overall information security infrastructure. He noted that the high level of engagement from participants reflects a growing institutional awareness of the importance of cybersecurity in protecting organizational data and ensuring operational continuity.This initiative is one of many ongoing training programs conducted by the Qatar Olympic Committee to upskill its workforce and ensure a secure, future-ready digital environment aligned with the highest international standards of data protection, risk management, and operational excellence.