Asian Shotgun Championship 2026 Kicks Off

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January 12, 2026
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12-January-2026

Asian Shotgun Championship 2026 Kicks Off

DOHA - The opening ceremony of the Asian Shotgun Championship 2026 was held at the Lusail Hall in the Qatar Olympic Committee headquarters on Monday. Taking place at the Lusail Shooting Complex, the event will continue until January 21, with 196 male and female shooters from 17 countries participating.

The opening ceremony was attended by President of the Asian Shooting Confederation Sheikh Salman Al Hamoud Al-Sabah and President of Qatar Shooting and Archery Federation and Chairman of the Organizing Committee Dr. Mishaal Ibrahim Al Nasr, along with federation officials and a number of guests.

The ceremony featured a variety of entertaining segments, beginning with a video on the Asian Shotgun Championship Doha 2026, followed by a video presentation showcasing the Qatar Shooting and Archery Federation's achievements, organization, and excellence in the sport of shooting. A traditional Qatari dance performance, known as Ardha, was then presented, reflecting the rich heritage of Qatari identity. The ceremony concluded with the presentation of the list of participating countries.

In a speech during the ceremony, President of the Qatar Shooting and Archery Federation Dr. Mishaal Ibrahim Al Nasr expressed his immense pleasure at the record-breaking participation in the Asian Shotgun Championships - Doha 2026, featuring a distinguished group of world and Olympic champions who will compete for podium finishes at the Lusail Shooting Range.

The Federation President extended his sincere gratitude to the wise leadership for their support of sports federations, especially the Shooting Federation, which is witnessing significant development across all levels.

He welcomed the elite shooting champions from across Asia to the Lusail International Shooting Range in a sporting atmosphere that reflects the spirit of fair competition and excellence, wishing all the shooters successful competitions and an enjoyable experience filled with excitement and thrill.

Al Nasr pointed out that organizing major championships provides a platform to showcase the competence of Qatari personnel and their high level of professionalism in managing large-scale sporting events, making each championship held in Doha a new benchmark for excellence.

For his part, President of the Asian Shooting Confederation Sheikh Salman Al Hamoud Al-Sabah praised the significant and unwavering support given by the wise leadership in Qatar to sports, which made Qatar a beacon of global sports. He noted that Doha has become a pivotal center for shooting worldwide, thanks to its advanced infrastructure, most notably the Lusail Shooting Complex, which is considered one of the best sports facilities in the world.

The President of the Asian Shooting Confederation affirmed that the Confederation has complete confidence in the Qatari organizing committee's ability to deliver an exceptional and impressive edition of the Asian Shotgun Championship 2026, following its success in hosting numerous continental and international shooting championships, most recently the ISSF World Cup Finals for rifle, pistol, and shotgun, which concluded last December. He wished all participating delegations success in achieving the desired goals of this important sporting event, which contributes to raising the level of shooting sports in Asia.

He explained that Doha's hosting of the World Shooting Championships next November, during which 36 qualifying spots for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics will be awarded, is clear evidence of the development of sports in Qatar. He expressed his pride in the excellence and impressive performances of the Qatar Shooting Federation, headed by Dr. Mishaal Ibrahim Al Nasr, its members, Qatari shooters, and technical and administrative staff in various championships.

He added that Asia is proud of the development of Qatari sports, and that they have plans for Qatar to be among the countries receiving Asian qualifying slots in shooting in the near future. He expressed his hope that Qatar would secure more Olympic qualification slots at the upcoming World Championships in Doha and that Qatari shooting would continue its success at future Olympic Games, following Nasser Al-Attiyah's bronze medal win at the 2012 London Olympics.

The President of the Asian Shooting Confederation stated that the participation of 17 countries in the Asian Shotgun Championship - Doha 2026, with more than 250 athletes, coaches, and administrators, demonstrates the importance of the tournament, hoping to witness high levels of competition, especially since it is a championship sanctioned by the International Shooting Sport Federation, and the records set will be announced.

The championship competitions kicked off today with official practice sessions for the skeet (75 targets) event. The skeet competition for the junior and youth categories will take place tomorrow, while the men's and women's categories will compete in the skeet (50 targets) event. The competitions continue on Wednesday, with the qualifying rounds for the skeet (50 targets) event, followed by the finals for the junior and youth categories. The finals for the men's, women's, and mixed team (junior and youth) skeet events will be held on Thursday, with the mixed team (men's and women's) skeet final taking place the following day.

Following the skeet competitions, official practice for the trap shooting event will take place on January 17. Qualifying rounds for the various categories will be held on January 18 and 19, followed by the finals for the junior men's and women's trap categories on January 19. The following day will see the finals for the men's, women's, and mixed team trap events. The championship will conclude on January 21, with the mixed team trap final.

The Qatari national team is represented by 12 shooters, including Rashid Saleh, Mohammed Al Rumaihi, Reem Al Sharshani, Ali Ishaq, Mohammed Al Kuwari, Saeed Abu Sharib, Angelo Scalzone, and Ray Basil. The Qatari shooters are aiming to continue their winning streak, win medals, and reach the podium.