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24 Oct’ 2021
QOC Wins NOC Breakthrough Award
Sheikh Joaan receives the award at ANOC Awards 2021
The Qatar Olympic Committee (QOC) was bestowed the National Olympic Committees' (NOC) Breakthrough Award by the Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC) on Sunday.
The QOC President H.E. Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al-Thani received the award at the ANOC Awards 2021 held on the sidelines of the ANOC General Assembly in Crete, Greece.
The NOC Breakthrough Award is presented to the NOCs who won their first-ever Olympic medal or first-ever Olympic gold medal.
Qatar clinched two gold medals at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, with team Qatar's weightlifter Fares Ibrahim winning the gold medal at the 96kg event and Mutaz Barshim claiming the gold medal of the men's high jump event. Moreover, Qatar's beach volleyball duo won Arab's first-ever Olympic medal in team sports in Tokyo.
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Qatar win silver and bronze medals at 2026 West Asia Beach Volleyball Tour
Doha: Qatar’s men’s “1” team won the silver medal, while the women’s “1” team claimed a historic first bronze medal as the third round of the 2026 West Asia Beach Volleyball Tour concluded at the Al Gharafa International Beach Courts.Qatar’s men’s “1” team, comprising Mousa Al-Khair and Mohammed Ihab, finished runners-up after losing 2–0 (24–22, 21–19) to Bahrain “1” in the final.The Qatari pair had reached the final with a 2–0 (21–13, 24–22) victory over Lebanon “1” in the semi-finals.In the women’s competition, Qatar “1”, represented by Haya Abu Issa and Leila Mohammed, secured bronze with a 2–1 (13–21, 21–19, 15–12) win over Bahrain in the third-place play-off.The Qatari team had lost 2–0 to Lebanon “1” in the semi-finals. Lebanon “1” went on to claim the title, defeating compatriots Lebanon “2” by two sets to one in the final.The round featured 15 teams from Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait and Lebanon, with strong competition across both the men’s and women’s events.Qatar had a strong presence in the women’s competition, fielding four teams. Haya Abu Issa and Leila Mohammed represented Qatar “1”, while Shaghaf Ismail and Malak Hashem competed for Qatar “2”.
Doha to Host Asian Open Beach Volleyball Tour
Doha: Doha will host the Asian Open Beach Volleyball Tour- Doha 2026 from October 10 to 13, featuring 16 men's and 11 women's teams representing Australia, China, Japan, Thailand, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Indonesia and Qatar.Qatar's participation is highlighted by top-ranked men's pair Cherif Younousse and Ahmed Tijan, who lead the standings with 4,660 points.The duo are coming off a gold medal at the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games in Japan, marking their third consecutive Asian Games title after previous victories in Jakarta-Palembang 2018 and Hangzhou 2022.They also won gold at the Sanya 2026 Asian Beach Games in China last April and were named Asia's Best Men's Beach Volleyball Players for the 2025–2026 season.Qatar will field three teams in both the men's and women's competitions.Alongside Younousse and Tijan, the men's teams include Mousa Al Khair and Mohamed Ehab, and Saif Al Deen Al Majid and Mahmoud Essam.In the women's event, Qatar will be represented by Haya Abu Essa and Laila Mohamed, Shaghaf Ismail and Malak Hashem, and Aisha Al Alawi and Nelly Amr.The official proceedings begin on Friday with team registration and the announcement of the match schedule. Competition gets underway Saturday with the group stage, followed by the remaining group matches and Round of 16 on Sunday.The quarterfinals and semifinals will be held Monday, with the men's and women's finals scheduled for Tuesday, October 13.
Strong Start to Third Leg of West Asia Beach Volleyball Tour
DOHA, Qatar - The third leg of the 2026 West Asia Beach Volleyball Tour for men and women got off to a strong start on Sunday, with Qatar hosting the competition from October 5 to 8 at Al Gharafa Beach Courts.The tournament features 15 teams representing five countries — Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait and Lebanon — in a highly competitive field.In the men’s competition, Qatar 2, represented by Saif Al Deen Al Majeed and Mahmoud Essam, opened their campaign with a commanding 2-0 victory over Saudi Arabia’s Wafi Al Jasser and Ali Al Awami, winning 21-11, 21-15.In the same group, top-seeded Lebanon 1, represented by Hadi Al Shabib and Jad Abi Karam, also secured a 2-0 victory over Saudi Arabia’s Wafi Al Jasser and Ali Al Awami, prevailing 21-8, 21-17.In Group A, Bahrain 1, featuring Khalid Abdullah and Ali Yaqoub, defeated Qatar 1, represented by Mousa Al Khair and Mohammed Ehab, 2-1.Bahrain 1 continued their winning run with a 2-0 victory over Kuwait’s Barak Khasrouh and Ibrahim Ahmed, winning 21-11, 21-10.In the women’s competition, Lebanon 1, represented by Mervat Hamza and Nour Hamza, defeated Kuwait’s Alaa Al Bahouh and Halima Rashid 2-0, winning both sets 21-12, in Group A.In Group B, Lebanon 2, represented by Mirna Sheikho and Lara Al Nahi, defeated Qatar 4’s Aisha Al Alawi and Nelly Amr 2-0, winning 21-10, 21-5.Also in Group B, Bahrain’s Munira Suleiman and Fatima Al Bouzaid defeated Qatar 3’s Malak Hashem and Shaghaf Ismail 2-1, winning 16-21, 21-14, 18-16.In Group A, Qatar 1, represented by Haya Abu Issa and Laila Mohammed, defeated fellow Qatari pair Lamis Al Salman and Dana Abu Aita 2-0 in an all-Qatar encounter, winning 21-11, 21-14.Qatar 1 later suffered a narrow 2-0 defeat to Lebanon 1, represented by Mervat Hamza and Nour Hamza, with both sets ending 22-20.
International Olympic Committee Name Qatar as Interested Party to Host the 2036 Olympic and Paralympic Games
Doha- Qatar has been confirmed as an interested party to host the 2036 Olympic and Paralympic Games.Revealing the next steps in the 2036 bid process, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) published a handbook for potential hosts, along with the confirmed list of interested parties hoping to make it through each stage of a revised selection process.Welcoming the confirmation, Fatima Al Kuwari, CEO of the Doha 2036 Olympic and Paralympic Bid Committee, said: “It is no secret that Qatar has shown an ambition to bid for the 2036 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Today that ambition has been justified by the IOC’s confirmation that Qatar has been named as an interested party.