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4 Sep’ 2018
NBA stars visit Aspire Academy
DOHA, September 4, 2018-Former basketball player and seven-time NBA All-Star Tracy McGrady, Golden State Warriors shooting guard Klay Thompson and LA Lakers head coach Luke Walton visited Aspire Academy on Monday
“The combination sports and education here at Aspire is something special. They are not only making great athletes, but the educational component will also shape them to become great leaders and smart guys and so they will have something to fall back to just in case", says former shooting guard McGrady, who played for great teams such as Orlando Magic, Houston Rockets, New York Knicks and Detroit Pistons and who was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 2017.
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Qatar’s Younousse and Tijan Storm into Asian Beach Volleyball Tour Final in Doha
DOHA – Qatar’s Cherif Younousse and Ahmed Tijan have powered their way into the men’s final of the Asian Beach Volleyball Tour – Doha 2026, maintaining a flawless record of five consecutive victories without dropping a single set.The Qatari stars secured their place in the final with a commanding straight-sets victory over Australia’s Joshua Howat and Finlay Bennett, winning 2–0 (21–18, 21–18) in the semi-finals.They will now face another Australian pairing, Oliver Merritt and Jed Walker, who booked their place in the title decider with a 2–0 victory over compatriots Solomon Bushby and Justin Schumann.Qatar Volleyball Association President Ali bin Ghanem Al Kuwari praised the duo’s outstanding performances, noting that their progression to the final underscored Qatar’s growing competitiveness on the Asian beach volleyball circuit.He also highlighted the significance of hosting the tournament in Doha, emphasizing its role in nurturing local talent, providing valuable competitive experience and further strengthening Qatar’s position on the international sporting stage.Younousse described reaching the final as an important achievement but stressed that the team’s ultimate objective was to lift the title.He underlined the importance of maintaining maximum concentration and approaching the Australian opponents with the respect they deserve as the Qatari pair prepare for the decisive encounter.Tijan, meanwhile, attributed their unbeaten run to strong teamwork and consistency, stressing that minimizing unforced errors, maintaining effective coordination and remaining composed under pressure would be crucial to their chances of securing the championship.In the women’s competition, Thailand’s Naraphornrapat and Worapiratchakorn advanced to the final after overcoming Japan’s Ren and Non 2–1. Japan’s Shiba and Reika also progressed, defeating Australia’s Milutinovic and Phillips 2–0.The tournament brings together 27 teams, comprising 16 men’s pairs and 11 women’s pairs, representing Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Australia, Japan, Lebanon, China, Thailand and Indonesia. Qatar is represented by six teams, with three competing in each category.
Qatar’s Younousse and Tijan Sweep into Doha 2026 Tour Quarterfinals
DOHA – Qatar’s Cherif Younousse and Ahmed Tijan underlined their title ambitions with a dominant group-stage display to advance to the quarterfinals of the Doha 2026 Asian Beach Volleyball Tour.Competing at the International Beach Volleyball Center of Excellence in Al Gharafa, the Qatari duo swept all three Group A matches in straight sets to secure top spot and progress to the knockout stage in emphatic fashion.They launched their campaign on Saturday with a 21-15, 21-19 victory over Thailand’s Nalphadon and Puravich before producing two commanding performances today. They defeated China’s Li Wei and Yuan Ningfei 21-9, 21-15 and followed up with a comprehensive 21-13, 21-9 win against Indonesia’s Firza and Rizki.The results completed a perfect group-stage record for the Qatari pair, who did not drop a set and emerged as strong contenders for the tournament title.
Qatar’s Young Golfers Strike Double Gold at Arab Championship in Egypt
CAIRO – Qatar celebrated a memorable double-gold triumph at the 2026 Arab Junior and Youth Golf Championship in Egypt, as Daniel Sokolov won the Under-18 individual title before joining Kamil Ben Rekia to lead Qatar to gold in the team competition at Madinaty Golf Club.The outstanding results underline the progress of Qatar’s emerging golf talents and reinforce the country’s growing competitiveness across the Arab golfing landscape.Sokolov dominated the individual standings, carding a total of 15 under par across three rounds of competition to secure the gold medal by 15 strokes. Palestine’s Abdulhalim Al Yaqoubi finished runner-up at even par, while Jordan’s Mohammad Al Rawashdeh claimed third place at three over par.Qatar’s success extended to the Under-18 team event, where Sokolov and Ben Rekia combined for a score of seven over par to take gold. Their performance secured a 12-shot victory over Palestine and Libya, who shared the silver-medal position with identical totals of 19 over par.Fahad Nasser Al Nuaimi, head of the Qatari delegation, Secretary-General of the Qatar Golf Association and member of the Arab Golf Federation’s Executive Bureau, praised the players’ achievement, attributing it to ongoing efforts to nurture young golfers and enhance their technical abilities.
Qatar Teams Make Promising Start at Doha 2026 Asian Beach Volleyball Tour
DOHA – Qatar’s national teams began their campaign at the Doha 2026 Asian Beach Volleyball Tour with 14 matches played on the opening day at the International Beach Volleyball Excellence Centre in Al Gharafa.The competition will continue Sunday with 20 group-stage matches, including 16 men’s matches and four women’s matches.Qatar 1 and Qatar 2 made winning starts in the men’s competition, while Qatar 3 suffered a narrow defeat against their Australian opponents.Qatar 1, represented by Cherif Younousse and Ahmed Tijan, opened their campaign with a straight-sets victory over Thailand’s Nopphadon and Puravich, winning 21-15 and 21-19 in Pool A.The victory marked an ideal start for the Qatari duo in their first appearance since winning gold at the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games, where they made history by securing their third consecutive Asian Games gold medal, following their triumphs at Jakarta-Palembang 2018 and Hangzhou 2022.Qatar 2, comprising Mousa Al-Khair and Mohammed Ehab, also began on a winning note, defeating Saudi Arabia’s Wafi Al-Jasser and Ali Al-Awami 21-6 and 21-11 in straight sets in Pool C. Al-Khair and Ehab had previously claimed silver at the third West Asia Beach Volleyball Tour event in Doha.Meanwhile, Qatar 3, represented by Saifeddine Al-Majid and Mahmoud Essam, went down 2-1 to Australia’s Howat and Bennett. The Qatari pair took the opening set 21-19 before their Australian opponents fought back to win the second 21-15 and the deciding set 15-11.In other men’s matches, Lebanon’s Hadi Al-Shabib and Jad Abi Karam defeated Japan’s Takahashi and Ikeda 21-18, 21-18 in straight sets in Pool B.Thailand’s Nittithorn and Watcharawut overcame Indonesia’s Imam and Firouz 21-12, 23-21, while Australia’s Merritt and Walker beat China’s Li Xiaokai and Sun Xinglong 21-18, 21-10.Australia’s Bushby and Schumann also secured a straight-sets victory over China’s Dong Shaoquan and Hong Weiqiang, winning 21-18 and 21-15. China’s Li Wei and Yuan Ningfei recorded an identical scoreline against Indonesia’s Firza and Rizki.In the women’s competition, Qatar 2, represented by Shaghaf Ismail and Malak Hashem, lost 2-0 to Japan’s Rin and Non in Pool B, with set scores of 21-4 and 21-5.Qatar 3, comprising Aisha Al-Alawi and Nelly Amr, also suffered a straight-sets defeat, losing 21-7 and 21-5 to Thailand’s Narawornrabat and Worapiratchayakorn in Pool C.