2017 QOC SPORT EXCELLENCE AWARD WINNERS

The QOC's Sport Excellence Awards recognise and celebrate the athletes, organisations and individuals who have made a remarkable contribution to Qatari sport.Below is the list of the 2017 winners who were awarded at a special ceremony at the Qatar National Convention Centre on 4th October 2017.AwardNameGolden FederationQatar Athletics FederationOutstanding FederationQatar Swimming FederationMen's Team of the SeasonQatar Equestrian TeamWomen's Team of the SeasonQatar Skeet Shooting TeamMale Athlete of the SeasonMutaz BarshimFemale Athlete of the SeasonSara Al-ManaeiPromising Male Athlete of the Season,Fares Ibrahim, Qatar Weightlifting and Fencing FederationAbdellelah Haroun, Qatar Athletics FederationPromising Female Athlete of the SeasonTala Abduljabbar, Qatar Sailing and Rowing Federation National Coach of the SeasonKhalifa Ali Al Kubaisi, BowlingProfessional Coach of the SeasonHassan Bu Thalja, Qatar Paralympic AssociationMale Administrator of the SeasonKhalifa AbdulmalekFemale Administrator of the SeasonAl Anoud Al Naimi, ShootingReferee of the SeasonIbrahim Al Ni'mah, VolleyballMale Para-Athlete of the SeasonAbdulrahman AbdulqaderFemale Para-Athlete of the SeasonSara MasoudHorse Owner of the SeasonHE Abdulla Bin Khalifa Al-Thani, Owner of Um Qarn FarmJockey of the SeasonFaleh Bo GhneimQatari Horse Trainer of the SeasonIbrahim Said Al-MalkiCamel Trainer of the SeasonMohammed Bin Khalid Al-Attiyah, Al Shihannyah HijinCamel Owner of the SeasonNasser Bin Abdulla Al MesndService to SportAhmed Ali Al-AnsariDistinguished Governmental Institution in Supporting SportMinistry of Education and Higher EducationDistinguished Company in Supporting SportOoredooDistinguished Governmental Institution in Organising Social Sport ProgrammesKatara Cultural VillageDistinguished Institution in Organising Social Sport ProgramsQatari Red CrescentSport CreativityOola Sportswear

Qatar Youth Table Tennis League gets underway

​DOHA, October 4, 2017- The competitions of Qatar's Youth Table Tennis League began in Doha on Tuesday. In the first group, Al Wakrah defeated Al Gharafa 3-0 while Al Arabi edged past Al Khor. Al Sadd overpowered Al Ahli 3-1 then Al Ahli outplayed Al Shammal 3-0. The Juniors Table Tennis League will get underway on October 17. Al Arabi will take on Al Shammal and Al Khor will shake hands with Al Gharafa in the first round. Also in the first round, Qatar will face Al Sadd and Al Ahli will clash against Al Wakrah.

QFA announces U19 team list for Slovenian Camp

DOHA, October 4, 2017-The Qatar Football Association (QFA) has announced the list of the Qatar U19 football team for the Asian qualifiers preparation camp in Slovenia from October 5 to 11.The squad included 23 players namely Hashim Ali Abdullatif, Baha Mamdouh al Leithi, Ahmed Suhail Saber, Yousuf Abdul Razzaq Yousif, Mohammed Wa'ed Abdul Wahab (Al Sadd), Nasser Bakhsh (Qatar), Abdullah Nasser al Merisi (Al Khor), Hamam Ahmed, Andrea Sayhabutra, Nasser Abdul-Salam al Ahraq, Ali Sai, Nasser Saleh al Harbi (Al Gharafa), Nasser Saleh Yazidi, Mohammed Khaled al Naimi, Shehab Mamdouh al Leithi, Youssef Ayman Farahat, Khalid Walid Mansour, Khalid Mohammed Saleh (Al Duhail), Mahmoud Ibrahim Abu Nada (Al Arabi), Ali Malallah Krami (Al Wakra), Abdul Rashid Ibrahim, Marwan Sharif Badruddin (Al Ahli) and Ahmed Bakhit Menhali (Al Sailiya).The Qatar U19 team recently participated in a friendly tournament held in Doha from September 23 to 30. Australia, Japan, and Croatia participated in the tournament which was a part of the team's preparations for the Asian Cup qualifying competitions to be held in Doha from November 4 to 8.

Qatar all set to host FINA/airweave Swimming World Cup

DOHA, October 04, 2017 - With the FINA/airweave Swimming World Cup 2017 Doha (QAT) coming to town for the fourth leg of the eight-world cities combine championship, there's a buzz among the competitors and fans alike.The FINA World Cup has already travelled to Moscow, Berlin, Eindhoven and Hong Kong before Doha, and will head to Beijing, Tokyo, Singapore hereon.The competition has already heated up and the second of three FINA World Cup clusters will see some of the best in the world compete at the Hamad Aquatic Centre in Doha on Wednesday and Thursday.There's more on offer in terms of prize-money too now with FINA announcing more money to be distributed among the best swimmers both in the overall rankings and the specific cluster rankings at the World Cup.Essentially, now the three best ranked men and women will receive US $150,000, $100,000 and $50,000 for a total of $600,000.Until now, male and female winners at the World Cup would get $100,000 and the second-placed athletes $50,000, and third best overall swimmers $30,000.Another change implemented since the last stop at Hong Kong is the criteria for a 'finals free pass' given to past medalists in each event.Cluster #1 saw gold, silver and bronze medalists from both the 2016 Olympic Games and the 2016 Short Course World Championships head straight to finals.This weekend, however, only gold medalists from Rio and gold and silver medalists from Windsor will get to jump straight to finals.Also, due to the fact that there are only 2 stops during this cluster, swimmers are eligible to race in 6 individual events as opposed to the usual 4 for each meet.Most of the high-profile athletes who took to the pool in Hong Kong are also present in Doha, including South African Chad le Clos, who is leading the men's cluster, and Olympic star Katinka Hosszu of Hungary and Sweden's Sarah Sjostrom (heading the women's cluster).Speaking at the pre-event meet, Chad said he was glad to be back what he considers his second home."I'm happy to be back. I was here before the Olympics last year and it's always nice here. It's definitely one of the best if not the best venues here for swimming. It's always great coming back here. Also, Aspetar (sports hospital) and the Aspire Zone have also helped me over the years. I have trained hard here and obviously look for more better results," said the men's 50, 100 and 200m freestyle champion.On her part, Sarah, who was here last in 2013, said,"It's good to be back in Doha. I have had a really good season so far. It is the first time that I am doing the whole leg of the World Cup. Hong Kong was better than expected for me, so now looking forward to racing well in Doha as well."The six-feet high swimmer will be seen in action in the women's 50, 100, 200m freestyle; 50, 100m butterfly & 100m IM events.Russian Kirill Prigoda, who is participating in the men's 50m and 100m breaststroke, was delighted to be in this part of the world. "It's a good time to be here. I'm enjoying myself. This is like a training process to start here, the venue, hotels everything is so nice. The conditions are excellent."The event brings 153 swimmers in all. And there's a big presence of Qatari swimmers too. Among those from Qatar who participated in the previous legs of the events are Abdullah Abu Ghazallah (Moscow, August 02-03); Abdulrahman Hesham & Abdulaziz al Obaidli (Berlin Aug 06-07); Abdulaziz Hassan, Abdulrahman Hesham & Feras al Saidi (Eindhoven Aug 11-12); and Yaqoub al Khelaifi & Yousef Hesham (Hong Kong Sept 30-Oct 1).Event a big help for Qatar swimmers: QSA PresidentKhaleel al Jabir, President of Qatar Swimming Association and President of the Supreme Organising Committee for FINA/airweave Swimming World Cup 2017, speaking about the Qatari swimmers' participation said, "It is very important for us to host such events. Not only for the experience of organisation but also for our athletes to learn from these top swimmers. It's a way to imbibe from them. How they train, how they start, how they behave is something our swimmers are learning in their quest to make it to the top."As for the competition proper, the race to win cluster #2 is down to the wire between rivals Le Clos and Tom Shields of the US. Both earned 75 points apiece in Hong Kong, with Shields getting the gold over Le Clos in the 200m butterfly event. Shields also earned 3 silvers and 2 bronze, while Le Clos gobbled up 3 golds and 3 silvers. Both men are entered in 6 events each in Doha.Among the women, Sjostrom comfortably leads the overall World Cup points while Hosszu is doing her best to close-in on her fellow world record holder.Completing a perfect 6-for-6 sweep of individual events in Hong Kong, Hosszu collected on a $9,000 payday and is eager to ultimately take home the $50,000 cluster bonus.Some big splashing is indeed in store at the Hamad Aquatic Center come Wednesday!

Qatar team off to Japan for AVC Beach Volleyball C’ship

DOHA, October 02, 2017 - Qatar Beach Volleyball Team delegation left Doha on Sunday to participate in the AVC Beach Volleyball Championship will run from 6-9 October in Osaka city, Japan.Qatar will field two teams in the AVC Beach Volleyball Championship, team (A) and team (B). It is worth mentioning that Qatar teams have ended intensive training sessions on Sunday in Doha that in preparations for this prestigious championship.

Qatari stars look for glory in Swimming World Cup

DOHA, October 2, 2017-The Qatar Swimming Association (QSA) has announced the lineup of its swimmers who will participate in the 5th round of FINA/Airweave Swimming World Cup (25m) to be staged at the Hamad Aquatic Centre from October 4 to 5. The event will bring together 153 swimmers. The Qatari squad includes; Hassan Mohammad al Ebaidan, Mohammad Mahmoud, Yossef Hesham Mohammad, Abdullah Mohammad Abu Ghazallah, Yaqoub Abdulaziz al Khelaifi, Nasser Yasser Hassan, Abdulraheem Abdulali Hussain, Feras Murad al Saidi, Abdulrahman Hesham Mohammad, Musalam Abdullah, Abdulaziz Hassan al Obaidli and Nada Mohammad Arakji. The Qatari swimmers participated in the previous legs of the events as Abdullah Abu Ghazallah took part in the first leg in Moscow in August.Abdulrahman Hesham abd Abdulaziz al Obaidli participated in the second leg in Berlin (August 06-07) while Abdulaziz Hassan, Abdulrahman Hesham and Feras al Saidi competed in the third leg in Eindhoven (August 11-12). Yaqoub al Khelaifi and Yousef Hesham took part in the fourth leg in Hong Kong (September 30-October 01). Ibraheem al Rumaihi, head of Swimming Section at the Qatar Swimming Association (QSA), said that the participation in FINA/Airweave Swimming World Cup championship Doha Tour is a great opportunity for local swimmers to interact with the world champions and to gain international experience."Our swimmers are ready for the world swimming event in Doha, they had already shown impressive performances in the both 9th Asian Age Group Championship took place in Uzbekistanand the Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games held in Turkmenistan," said Rumaihi."We have a great ambition to honour the country in the event , we are looking for new records to prove the progress of Qatari swimming movement," added Rumaihi.