Aichi-Nagoya, Japan – HE Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani, President of the Olympic Council of Asia, presented Qatar’s national shooting team with the gold medal in the men’s team skeet event at the 20th Asian Games “Aichi-Nagoya 2026,” currently being held in Japan through October 4.

The trio of Nasser Saleh Al Attiyah, Rashid Saleh Al Athba and Ali Ahmed Al Ishaq delivered a superb performance to top the men’s team skeet standings and secure Team Qatar’s first gold medal of the Games. Kuwait took silver, while India claimed bronze.

The achievement was made even more remarkable by Rashid Saleh Al Athba’s triumph in the men’s individual skeet event, where he struck gold after setting a new Asian record.

China’s Jianlin Liu claimed the individual silver medal, while Ming Li of Chinese Taipei took bronze. Nasser Al Attiyah finished fifth.

The two skeet gold medals mark a landmark achievement for Qatari shooting at the continental level and provide Team Qatar with a major boost as competition continues at Aichi-Nagoya 2026.
Following the shooting triumphs, Qatar’s medal tally rose to four medals – two gold, one silver and one bronze. The national karate team had earlier opened Qatar’s medal account with a silver and a bronze.

Dr. Mishal Al Nasr, President of the Qatar Shooting and Archery Association, hailed the outstanding performance of Qatar’s shooters after they captured gold in both the individual and team skeet events.

“We are extremely happy with this achievement, which we dedicate to our wise leadership and to HE Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani, President of the Qatar Olympic Committee,” Al Nasr said.
“Team Qatar’s shooters produced outstanding performances and deservedly claimed gold in both the men’s individual and team skeet events. We congratulate them on this achievement.”

Al Nasr stressed that the results were the product of the strong support and attention devoted to sport and athletes, adding that they demonstrate the positive direction of Qatari shooting.

He also praised the shooters’ ability to handle the pressure of high-level competition and finish at the top, noting that the achievement would provide additional motivation to continue working towards further success in future competitions.

Rashid Saleh Al Athba expressed his immense delight after completing a memorable double by winning gold in both the individual and team skeet events, attributing the achievement to hard work, concentration and success granted by God.

“Praise be to God for this victory. We dedicate this achievement to our wise leadership, to HE Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani, President of the Qatar Olympic Committee, whose presence was a great source of support and an honour for us, and to the Qatari people,” Al Athba said.

“Praise be to God, we succeeded in winning the team gold medal alongside Nasser Al Attiyah and Ali Al Ishaq, and I was also able to win the individual gold. It is a major achievement that I am extremely proud of, and I hope we can continue achieving success in the upcoming competitions.”

Al Athba acknowledged the exceptionally high level of competition at the Asian Games, describing the event as one of the toughest sporting competitions, particularly given the challenging conditions surrounding the tournament. “Thankfully, we managed to deal with them successfully and achieve the result we were aiming for,” he said.

“We knew how strong the competition would be, so we gave everything we had and maintained a high level of concentration. In the end, success comes from God.”
Looking ahead, Al Athba said the team would immediately turn its attention to the mixed doubles competition.

best and to strive for another medal today in the mixed doubles competition. We hope we can bring further joy to the Qatari people with another medal,” he concluded.

Nasser Saleh Al Attiyah also expressed his delight after helping Qatar secure gold in the men’s team skeet event, congratulating his teammate Al Athba on his individual triumph.

“Praise be to God for winning the team gold medal. I congratulate my teammate Rashid Al Athba on winning gold in the individual competition. I would also like to thank HE Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani, President of the Qatar Olympic Committee, whose presence was a great source of motivation for us. I also thank the Qatar Shooting and Archery Association for its continued support,” Al Attiyah said.

Reflecting on his return to competition, Al Attiyah said his absence from the sport during the previous period had affected his competitive rhythm, but added that trials held two months earlier alongside his fellow shooters gave him renewed confidence.

“I managed to achieve the best results, which gave me considerable motivation to return to competition,” he said. “I entered the competition as well prepared as possible, and thankfully my teammates and I managed to win the gold medal in the team event, while I finished fifth in the individual competition.”

Al Attiyah acknowledged that he had yet to reach his full competitive level but said he was working to sharpen his preparation for the challenges ahead, particularly the World Shooting Championships in Doha.

“I have not yet reached 100 per cent of my level, and I am working to prepare myself better for the next challenge, particularly the World Shooting Championships in Doha, which will serve as a qualifier for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games,” he added.