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11 Jan’ 2025
Epic mixed doubles final goes the distance in Doha
Doha: Miwa Harimoto and Sora Matsushima have been crowned Mixed Doubles champions at WTT Star Contender Doha 2025, laying claim to their first trophy of the season with a 3-2 victory over Shi Xunyao and Huang Youzheng (6-11, 11-8, 9-11, 11-7, 11-7).
Both sets of finalists started the week in the qualifying rounds, but stood out from the rest of the playing field, working their way through the draw at breakneck speed.
Starting the final on the front foot, Shi and Huang looked in sync in the early stages of Saturday’s title match, leaning on each other’s strengths to pick up two of the opening three games.
However, Harimoto and Matsushima stuck together in the face of adversity, bouncing back in the fourth to keep the dream alive. Then, in an all or nothing decider, the Japanese pair hit the jackpot, striking the ball with real venom to leave Shi and Huang in their dust.
As the sun begins to set in Doha, Miwa Harimoto and Sora Matsushima return home with silverware in their grasp, and will move into the Mixed Doubles World Top 20 in Week 3’s ITTF Table Tennis World Rankings thanks to their showing at Lusail Sports Arena.
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Doha Set to Host Third Round of West Asia Beach Volleyball Tour
DOHA – The Al Gharafa Beach Volleyball Centre is set to host the third round of the West Asia Men’s and Women’s Beach Volleyball Tour from Tuesday through October 9, bringing together 15 teams from Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait and Lebanon.Qatar will be represented by six teams across the men’s and women’s competitions. The men’s event will feature Qatar 1, comprising Moussa El Khair and Mohamed Ihab, and Qatar 2, represented by Saif Al Majeed and Mahmoud Essam.In the women’s competition, Qatar will field four pairs, including Qatar 1’s Haya Abu Issa and Laila Mohamed, as well as Qatar 2’s Shaghaf Ismail and Malak Hashim.The action will continue at the same venue immediately after the regional tour, with the Asian Volleyball Confederation (AVC) Doha Open scheduled to take place from October 10 to 13.The back-to-back competitions will provide a full week of high-level regional and continental beach volleyball action in the Qatari capital.
Strong Crowd Engagement at Mizuho Stadium
Aichi-Nagoya - Qatar captured the spotlight during the Closing Ceremony of the 20th Asian Games Aichi-Nagoya 2026 in Japan, where it received the flag as host of the 21st Asian Games in 2030.The artistic performance, which drew an enthusiastic response from the crowd at Paloma Mizuho Stadium, featured The Games We Live For film and the Return of an Old Friend segment, creating a link between Doha 2006, Aichi-Nagoya 2026 and the journey towards Doha 2030.The Games We Live For, the slogan of Doha 2030, reflects the ambitions of athletes, people and nations, and the shared sporting experiences that bring Asia together.Qatar made a striking impression through a showcase of its identity and culture. Dana Al Meer performed the Qatari national anthem live to an enthusiastic reception from the audience, while Olympic champion Mutaz Barshim received the Asian Games flag wearing traditional Qatari attire. Qatari rider Jassim Al Kuwari then entered the stadium on horseback carrying the flag, evoking memories of the iconic scene from the Opening Ceremony of the Doha 2006 Asian Games. Together, these elements reflected Qatar’s identity and culture and underlined its readiness to host an exceptional edition of the Asian Games.The new Doha 2030 identity places the Olympic Council of Asia sun inside the letter “O” in “DOHA”, symbolizing the special place the Asian Games hold in the city of Doha.H.E. Sheikh Khalifa bin Khalid Al Thani, Director of the Sports Sector at the Qatar Olympic Committee, said Team Qatar’s achievements at the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games represented a significant and proud accomplishment, noting that the Qatari delegation won 18 medals, the country’s highest Asian Games tally since Guangzhou 2010.He said: “We achieved an outstanding result at Aichi-Nagoya by winning 18 medals. The diversity of these medals reflects the progress of Qatari sport. We won medals across 10 different sports, while three sports — padel, wrestling and karate — were added to Qatar’s Asian Games medal record for the first time. This diversity confirms that our work is moving in the right direction and that there is clear progress in the level of our athletes across different sports.”
QOC Secretary General: Qatar’s Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Participation Delivers Strong Results and Gains for Doha 2030
Nagoya: H.E. Jassim bin Rashid Al Buenain, Secretary General of the Qatar Olympic Committee, affirmed that Qatar’s participation in the 20th Asian Games Aichi-Nagoya 2026, which concluded yesterday in Japan, was positive and achieved its intended objectives, both on the sporting front through the impressive results achieved by the national teams, and on the promotional and cultural fronts through the strong presence of Bayt Qatar in Nagoya.Speaking following the conclusion of the Games, H.E. Al Buenain said Qatar’s participation was not solely aimed at achieving results and competing for medals, but also formed part of the strategic plan to prepare the national teams for upcoming events, foremost among them the 21st Asian Games Doha 2030, helping to develop the teams and strengthen their ability to compete at the highest level in Doha.Al Buenain explained that participation in Aichi-Nagoya 2026 represented an important milestone in the national teams’ preparations for Doha 2030. He noted that the Qatar Olympic Committee and national sports federations were keen to combine experienced athletes with emerging young talents, providing the latter with opportunities to develop and gain experience through participation in major competitions, with the aim of building a strong pool of athletes capable of representing the national teams and competing in future events.He added that the results marked an achievement not seen since the 2010 Asian Games, with Qatar winning medals across 10 different sports for the first time and claiming a total of 18 medals. He stressed that these impressive results at Aichi-Nagoya 2026 were the result of the guidance of H.E. Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani, President of the Qatar Olympic Committee, collective efforts, as well as the continuous monitoring and follow-up of a dedicated working team established by the QOC in coordination with the national federations.The QOC Secretary General pointed to several positive indicators from Qatar’s participation, including winning medals for the first time in some sports, such as padel, as well as the return of other sports to the Asian Games podium, including karate, wrestling and weightlifting. He said this reflected the broadening of Qatar’s competitive base and the progress achieved across several sports.H.E. Al Buenain also praised the results achieved by Qatar’s national teams in team sports, saying that they made a strong impact, with the handball, beach volleyball and 3x3 basketball teams all winning medals, reflecting Qatar’s continued presence in team competitions and the ability of its national teams to compete at the continental level.Al Buenain also highlighted the widespread praise received by Bayt Qatar during the Games, noting that it served as a platform to showcase Qatari culture, heritage and identity, while also providing a space for engagement with fans and participating delegations.He noted that Bayt Qatar welcomed nearly 5,000 visitors during the Games, with an average daily attendance of around 250 visitors, in addition to members of the Qatari delegation and guests attending the reception organised by the Qatar Olympic Committee.The QOC Secretary General said the strong attendance reflected the interest generated by Bayt Qatar and underlined the importance of using sport as a means of bringing people closer together, while showcasing Qatar’s rich cultural heritage and its capabilities in hosting and organising major sporting events.H.E. Al Buenain extended his thanks and appreciation to all members of the Qatar Olympic Committee delegation at Aichi-Nagoya 2026, noting that the results achieved were the product of the collective efforts of the entire delegation, together with the cooperation and coordination of the national federations.He expressed his appreciation to the administrative delegation, which faced numerous challenges during the Games while remaining committed to ensuring the comfort and needs of Qatar’s athletes, and praised them for their considerable efforts. He also thanked the media delegation for their outstanding coverage of the Games.H.E. Al Buenain also thanked and commended the Bayt Qatar delegation, which he said not only represented the Qatar Olympic Committee with distinction, but also reflected a positive image of the State of Qatar at major events and international gatherings. He also thanked the Doha 2030 Asian Games delegation, which was present in Nagoya to observe the organisation and preparations for the Games, noting that their responsibility now begins as preparations move forward towards hosting the event in Doha in 2030.Concluding his remarks, H.E. Al Buenain stressed that the assessment of Qatar’s participation in the 20th Asian Games Aichi-Nagoya 2026 should not be limited to the medal tally, but should also take into account the experience gained by the athletes, the emergence of promising young talents, the progress achieved across several sports, and the strengthening of Qatar’s sporting and cultural presence across Asia, in line with preparations for the next phase leading up to the Doha 2030 Asian Game.
Qatar Seals Historic 18-Medal Haul at the 2026 Asian Games
DOHA - Qatar brought the curtain down on their campaign at the 20th Asian Games Aichi-Nagoya 2026 in Japan, with a historic haul of 18 medals - six golds, six silvers and six bronzes - setting a new benchmark in the nation's history of appearances at the continental Games after surpassing their previous haul of 14 medals at Hangzhou 2022, held in 2023.The phenomenal feat was the outgrowth of a strong and tremendous showing by the Qatari delegation, which comprised 243 athletes who competed across 26 sports and 32 disciplines at a Games that drew more than 17,000 athletes and officials.Qatar had secured 16 medals before the final day - five golds, six silvers and five bronzes - before equestrian delivered another gold and bronze in individual show jumping, lifting their total to 18 medals.Qatar had finished the 2018 Games with 13 medals, including six golds, four silvers and three bronzes. At Hangzhou 2022, their haul rose to 14 medals, with five golds, six silvers and three bronzes, as they continued to build on their medal tally from one edition to the next in Japan.In Japan, Qatar did more than surpass their previous medal haul. They also recorded a string of historic and significant achievements, highlighted by a monumental gold in padel, which made its first appearance on the official Asian Games program.The Qatari duo of Rashid Nawaf and Mishari Nawaf captured the gold medal after defeating Malaysia's Christian Chen and Aidan Yunos. With that triumph, the Qatari pair became the first Asian Games champions in padel history, in the sport's debut on the official program, putting Qatar's name in the record books at the continental level.Beach volleyball also wrote a new chapter in Qatar's success, with Cherif Younousse and Ahmed Tijan retaining their gold medal for the third consecutive time.After winning gold at Jakarta and Palembang 2018 and then at Hangzhou 2022, the Qatari duo returned to the medal podium at Aichi-Nagoya 2026, beating Indonesia 2-1 in the final.The victory underscored their continued strong presence on the Asian stage and delivered a historic third straight gold medal.Shooting and athletics played a prominent role in Qatar's medal haul. Shooting made a tremendous showing as Qatar captured team and individual skeet gold, with the skeet team comprising Nasser Saleh Al Attiyah, Rashid Saleh Al Athba and Ali Ahmed Al Ishaq. Al Athba also claimed individual gold, setting a new Asian record.Shooting later added two silver medals in the team and mixed-team trap events, bringing their contribution to Qatar's haul to four medals.In athletics, Bassem Mohammed captured the gold medal in the 400-meter hurdles, crossing the finish line in 47.82 seconds, while Zakaria Ibrahim earned the bronze in the 3,000-meter steeplechase.The Qatari team also added silver in the 4x400-meter relay, along with a bronze for Abubaker Abdulla in the 800 meters.Qatar also secured medals in 3x3 basketball, handball, karate, weightlifting and wrestling, rounding out their phenomenal medal haul across the gamut of sports.