Qatar's Al Rumaihi Wins Trap Gold at HH the Amir Grand Prix Shotgun Championship

Doha: Qatari shooter Mohammed Al Rumaihi claimed gold in the men's trap event at the third HH The Amir Grand Prix Shotgun Championship, which concluded at the Lusail Shooting Complex after seven days of competition.The tournament attracted 315 shooters from 38 countries, with 198 competitors taking part in the trap discipline across men's, women's, youth and junior categories.Al Rumaihi secured victory after a tense final against Turkiye's Yavuz Ilnam. The pair were tied on 26 targets, forcing a shoot-off that the Qatari won by a single target. Ilnam took silver, while France's Antoine Desar finished third with 20 targets.In the women's trap, Italy's Alessia Iezzi won gold after defeating Australia's Laetisha Scanlan in a shoot-off, with San Marino's Alessandra Perilli taking bronze.Australia's Benjamin De Pedro won the youth title, while Kazakhstan's Yelium Zhabagieva topped the junior women's event. Total prize money for the skeet and trap events stood at USD 122,000.Qatar Shooting and Archery Federationآ president Dr Mishaal Ibrahim Al Nasr praised Al Rumaihi's achievement, describing it as a reflection of the federation's strategic planning and continued support for the sport.Al Nasr said the achievement was dedicated to the country's leadership and to HE President of the Qatar Olympic Committee, Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al-Thani, praising what the unlimited support provided to Qatari sport in general and shooting in particular.He added that the result reflects the scale of planning and strategic work undertaken by the federation to strengthen Qatar's presence on the international stage, and demonstrates that Qatari shooting is moving steadily in the right direction towards global podium finishes. 

Draw held for AFC U17 Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2026™

Kuala Lumpur: The teams vying for the title learnt their Group Stage challengers following the AFC U17 Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2026™ Official Draw at the AFC House in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on Thursday.The 16 teams were divided into four groups with the tournament to be contested between between May 5 and 22, 2026.Hosts Saudi Arabia, who lifted the trophy in 1985 and 1988, will face Tajikistan, Thailand and Myanmar in Group A.Group B will see former champions Japan being challenged by Indonesia, two-time winners China PR and 1990 titleholders Qatar for the two quarter-final slots.Korea Republic, also two-time winners, will have to contend with Yemen, Vietnam and United Arab Emirates in Group C while Group D will see a tussle between defending champions Uzbekistan, Australia, India and two-time winners DPR Korea for the right to advance to the knockout stage.The top eight finishers will qualify for the FIFA U-17 World Cup Qatar 2026. 

Swiatek, Rybakina dumped out by Sakkari and Mboko at Qatar Open

Doha:World number two Iga Swiatek and Australian Open champion Elena Rybakina both crashed out of the Qatar Open on Thursday losing their quarter-finals to Maria Sakkari and Victoria Mboko respectively.Top seed Swiatek fell short against a revitalised Sakkari who rolled back the years as she clawed her way to a nervy 2-6, 6-4, 7-5 victory while 10th seed Mboko outmuscled Rybakina 7-5, 4-6, 6-4."It's been a while since I had a big win like today," said Sakkari, who reached No. 3 in the rankings in 2022 but has slipped to 52nd. "When you drop in the rankings and you're not playing good tennis you start doubting yourself and you think you are never going to beat those players again. So it's a huge process you have to go through in your head that you can do it."The 30-year-old Greek won her first three career meetings with the young Swiatek but the last of those victories came in 2021. The Pole had won their last four matches, the most recent in straight sets in Qatar last year. "Last year in the second round here against her, I was not confident, I was not believing in myself and this year it's different. I feel a lot better," said Sakkari who will now face either 14th seeded Czech Karolina Muchova or unseeded Russian Anna Kalinskaya,. "I've missed that feeling of going deep into tournaments."Swiatek, who won the Qatar tournament, a WTA 1000 event, in 2022, 2023 and 2024, started as if she would repeat last year's rout when she broke twice in the first set. Sakkari began to fight back in the last game, but Swiatek saved a break point to seal the set.Sakkari continued her upswing by breaking in the second game of the second set. Yet every time she gained an edge, Swiatek responded. The Pole broke in the seventh game, but Sakkari steadied and broke in the tenth game to take the set.It was the first time in their seven meetings that a match between the pair had gone to a third set. In a see-saw deciding set, Swiatek saved a match point on her serve before Sakkari held to love, the Greek going on to win in the next game, on her third match point.The match lasted one minute under two-and-a-half hours and was followed by an equally gripping contest as Mboko underlined her growing reputation in a contest that was just six minutes shorter. Mboko, who had already defeated Rybakina in last year's Montreal semifinals, managed to break the Kazakh's serve three times in the opening set alone.On the flip side she lost her own twice but that was still enough for her to take the first set 7-5. She dropped her serve twice again in the second set, which Rybakina won 6-4. But the 19-year-old Canadian had the last word in the final set, winning it 6-4.Mboko, who was swept aside by world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka in the round of 16 in Melbourne, will face last year's runner-up, Jelena Ostapenko in the Doha semifinals. The Latvian, who won the French Open in 2017, advanced by beating the Italian Elisabetta Cocciaretto 7-5, 6-4. 

Competition Continues for Second Day at HH the Amir's Sword Showjumping Event

Doha: Competition continued for a second consecutive day at the HH the Amir's Sword Showjumping event at the Longines Arena at Al Shaqab in Doha, with riders contesting classes across multiple categories.Britain's Harry Charles won the Hermes Sellier qualifier for the Grand Prix at a height of 155cm, producing a jump-off round in 37.74 seconds aboard Cascais. Italy's Emanuele Gaudiano finished a close second in 37.77 seconds on Esteban, while Belgium's Pieter Devos placed third with a time of 37.04 seconds on Primo.In the three-star 130cm World Cup qualifier, Egypt's Ismail Osama El Barai topped the standings in 62.23 seconds on Incredible, ahead of compatriot Abdullah Haitham and Saudi Arabia's Badr Al Fard.The 135cm class was won by American rider Kristen Vanderveen in 31.06 seconds on Bull Run's Risen, with Qatar's Ibrahim Yousif Al Mahmoud second and Saeed Hamad Juma third.Gaudiano later secured another victory in the three-star 145cm World Cup qualifier, clocking 62.02 seconds on Chalou's Love PS, followed by Qatar's Faleh Suwaid Al Ajami and Turkiye's Hasan Senturk.In dressage, Qatar's Jassim Al Kuwari won the international Prix St Georges class with a score of 71.275 aboard Jack Sparrow, ahead of compatriots Wajdan Al Maliki and Mariam Al Buainain.Saudi Arabia's Salem Balharith claimed the one-star 120cm class, while Abdulaziz bin Jassim Al-Thani won the 110cm event. In the local 80cm class, Mishaal Mohammed Al-Thani took top honors.The competition forms part of Qatar's international equestrian calendar, drawing leading riders from across Europe and the Middle East.

Prince Albert II and Mutaz Barshim Sign Agreement to add Monaco Athletics Festival to the What Gravity Challenge World Tour

Monaco: H.S.H. Prince Albert II and Qatari world and Olympic champion Mutaz Barshim have signed an official agreement confirming the inclusion of the Monaco Athletics Festival as a new stop on the What Gravity Challenge World Tour. The event is scheduled to take place on 5 August 2026, marking an important milestone in the tour’s global expansion.The event will be staged in the heart of the Principality of Monaco, delivering elite-level athletics competition in an iconic urban setting and further strengthening Monaco’s position as a world-class destination for major sporting events.The What Gravity Challenge World Tour represents the evolution of a vision launched by Mutaz Barshim to take the high jump beyond traditional stadiums and into prominent global destinations.The series has been designed as a cumulative league format, enabling athletes to collect points across multiple international stops, leading to an overall ranking and the crowning of the What Gravity Challenge World Tour Champion.With Monaco’s inclusion, the 2026 calendar will feature four international stops:Banská Bystrica, Slovakia – 24 February 2026What Gravity Challenge, Doha, Qatar – 5 May 2026Monaco Athletics Festival, Monaco – 5 August 2026Hochsprung Heilbronn, Germany – 29–30 August 2026This expanded schedule reflects the tour’s growing international presence and its ambition to bring together the world’s leading high jump stars across diverse cultural and sporting environments.On this occasion, Mutaz Barshim, Founder of the What Gravity Challenge World Tour, said:“Adding Monaco marks a proud moment for this project. Monaco is a symbol of excellence, history, and global sporting prestige. This partnership reflects a shared belief in the power of sport to inspire, connect cultures, and create a sustainable legacy for high jump.”For his part, Rudolf Berlin, Vice President of the Monegasque Athletics Federation, stated:“We are delighted to collaborate with Mutaz, a great champion with a clear and ambitious vision for the future of his sport. Integrating the Monaco Athletics Festival into the What Gravity Challenge World Tour aligns perfectly with our federation’s ambitions to build new bridges between the public and elite athletics. We hope this event will become a permanent fixture on Monaco’s sporting calendar and, given that high jump is one of the most thrilling disciplines in athletics, a major celebration of our sport.”The What Gravity Challenge builds on the success of its inaugural edition in Doha, which was first held in 2024 at Katara Amphitheatre. The event attracted the world’s top high jump stars and achieved significant international media exposure through World Athletics platforms, alongside strong support from global partners and institutions.With Monaco officially joining the 2026 calendar, the What Gravity Challenge World Tour enters a new phase of international growth, reaffirming its status as a leading global platform for elite high jump competition. Additional partnerships, expanded media cooperation, and future destinations will be announced in due course. 

Mboko and Muchová to Meet in Qatar Open Final

Doha: Victoria Mboko and Karolína Muchová secured their places in the final after winning their respective semi-finals at the Qatar Open on a thrilling penultimate day in Doha.Mboko delivered another statement performance to defeat Jeļena Ostapenko, continuing her remarkable run at the tournament. Despite Ostapenko’s experience, the Canadian teenager once again showed composure beyond her years. After trading early breaks in the opening set, Mboko seized control with a decisive late break before closing it out confidently.She maintained her momentum in the second set, racing to a commanding lead and putting the match firmly in her grasp. Although she was briefly delayed in serving it out, Mboko held her nerve to seal victory and advance to the second final of her career. The result also ensures her breakthrough into the top 10 of the WTA rankings.The second semi-final proved far more tightly contested, as Maria Sakkari faced Muchová in a high-intensity battle. The pair exchanged heavy groundstrokes and shared the opening two sets, forcing a decider. However, Sakkari—who had earlier overcome the top seed in a demanding quarter-final—appeared to fade physically in the final stretch. Muchová capitalised, surging through the opening games of the third set to take control and ultimately book her place in the championship match.In doubles action, Ostapenko returned to court alongside Hsieh Su-wei to face defending champions Sara Errani and Jasmine Paolini. The encounter went the distance, with both teams claiming a set before the Italians edged the decisive tiebreak to secure their spot in the final.Earlier in the day, fourth seeds Anna Danilina and Aleksandra Krunić advanced to the doubles final with a straight-sets win over Gabriela Dabrowski and Luisa Stefani.The tournament will conclude on Saturday, with both singles and doubles finals set to take centre stage at the Khalifa International Tennis and Squash Complex, bringing the 2026 edition in Doha to a fitting close.