Stage set for QSAF Shooting Cup Championship

DOHA, October 01 , 2017 – The competitions of the QSAF shooting Cup Championship 2017 organized by the Qatar Shooting and Archery Federation (QSAF) will get underway at Lusail International shooting complex on Sunday.The championship will run from 1-7 October amid participation of best shooters who will compete in multiple events including rifle and pistol 10 m events alongside rifle moving target and Archery.Elite number of Qatari shooters (men and women) are due to compete in the prestigious event. In women category prominent shooters will participate including Aisa Al-Suwaidi, Noora Al-Mohannadi, Nasra Mohammed, Al Dana Mubarak.While men category includes, Abdulaziz Al Ali, Abdullah Al Sonaidi, Ahmed Al Shamari, and Osama Al Sheebah.

Sanchez announces squad for friendlies

​DOHA, October 1, 2017-Qatar's coach Felix Sanchez has chosen 34 players for next month's friendlies with Singapore, Curacao and Mexico.The three international friendly games will be held at the Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium. The kick-off time has been set for 7:00pm for all friendlies.Qatar will face Singapore on October 5. Al Anabi will face Curacao on October 10.It was also revealed that the U-23 squad is scheduled to host Mexico on October 8.Squad: Hassan Al-Haydos, Salem Al-Hajri, Boualem Khoukhi, Pedro Miguel, Ali Asad, Fahad Shanein, Meshaal Issa and Musab Khader (Al Sadd) Ismail Mohammed, Bassam Hisham Al-Rawi, Abdullah Abdul Salam Al-Ahraq, Karim Boudiyaf, Mohamed Ahmed Bakri, Moaz Ali (Al-Duhail), Ahmad Al-Saadi and Omar Bari (Al Rayyan) Ahmed Alaa, Tamim Al Muhaizah, Abdul Aziz Hatem, Mahdi Ali (Al Gharafa) Abdul Karim Salem Al Ali (Al Sailiya) Omar Ahmed Al Emadi (Qatar SC) Sultan Al Barik (Al Wakra) Khaled Munir and Tarek Salman (Atletico) Asim Madibo and Akram Afif (Belgium) Ahmed Yasser Mohammadi (Spain).Six other U-23 players will join the Qatar squad starting on October 5. They are: Abdulrahman Mohammed Fahmi, Salah Alawi Al-Lahri (Al-Duhail), Abdul Hameed Al-Dari and Sultan Bakhit Al-Kuwari (Al Rayyan) Abdulaziz Khalid Saad (Qatar SC) Jassim Ahmed Al-Jalabi (Al Wakra).

World champions all set for FINA Airweave Swimming World Cup

DOHA, October 01, 2017 - Doha is set to play host to another blockbuster leg of the FINA airweave Swimming World Cup 2017, as an array of global superstars have confirmed their participation for the highly-anticipated competition at the Hamad Aquatic Center next week.Fascinating battles are on the cards in both men's and women events in the October 4 to 5, as several gold medalists from Rio 2016 Olympic Games and the 2017 FINA World Championships, are eying to reign the Doha pool. The swimmers, who will arrive in Doha following the Honk Kong leg (September 30 to October 1), will be targeting to earn maximum points as the competition will reach the mid stage, which promises thrilling competitions during the two-day contest.The FINA airweave Swimming World Cup 2017 includes eight legs in the Middle East, Europe and Asia. This year, the competition kicked off on August 2 in Moscow and will conclude on November 19 in Singapore. Berlin, Hong Kong, Doha, Beijing, and Tokyo complete the list of host cities for 2017. FINA President Dr Julio C Maglione reposed confidence in Doha to stage another spectacular show. “Doha's presence since 2012 in the World Cup circuit has assuredly reinforced the visibility of this top-notch competition in the Middle East region," he said in a message.“After the successful staging of the 12th FINA World Swimming Championships (25m) in 2014 in the Qatari capital, Doha, the legacy of swimming has continued in this part of the world," he added.Fans-favorite Chad Le Clos, the most successful man in the competition's history with 116 gold medals under his belt, will be looking to extend his medals streak in Doha. The 25-year-old, who won the 200m championship in Budapest World Championships earlier this summer, won three gold medals in the 2016 leg in Doha while in 2015 he clinched four gold medals.But, the South African superstar will not be alone to spearhead the men's competitions as his compatriot Cameron van der Burgh – the gold medalist at FINA World Championships Winsdor 2016 (50m breaststroke), Russia's Vladimir Viktorovich Morozov – Winsdsor 2016 champion at 100m breaststroke are also set to compete in the gala. Russian swimming ace Kirill Prigoda will also be seen in action during the event. Also joining the star-studded in men's events will be Italy's Gabriele Detti, who is expected to excel in Doha after his golden run at this year's World Championships. The 23-year-old displayed a stunning performance in Budapest to clinch 800m freestyle gold. Radosław Kawęcki of Poland – the former world champion will also be joining the top names at the next week's Worlds.Hungary's 'Iron Lady' - Katinka Hosszu – will lead the star cast in women's events, which will also see Olympic champion and world champion Sarah Sjostrom of Sweden in action. Crowd-puller Hosszu, has a staggering number of 226 gold medals to her name, which makes the top swimmer best in the competition's history. The 28-year-old will be looking to maintain her 200m and 400m Individual Medley dominance along with other events. Sjostrom, 24 will set alight the pool as she will also be targeting maximum number of medals. The Swedish double gold medalist at the FINA World Championships 2017 in Budapest, she had also clinched the 100m butterfly at Rio Games last year.Triple Olympic champion Ranomi Kromowidjojo of the Netherlands, Rio gold medalist Rie Kaneto of Japan and Jamaica's star Alia Atkinson, the 2016 world champion are among the other stars to take part in the competition.

Qatar Table Tennis Association announces its new calendar of events

DOHA, October 1, 2017-The Qatar Table Tennis Association (QTTA) announced its calendar of events for the 2017-2018 sports season which will begin officially on Sunday with the Juniors League.The Youth League will begin on October 15, 2017 while Men's League will get underway on December 14.Qatar International Table Tennis Championship will be held in March 2018 while HH the Emir Table Tennis Cup will begin on May 10.The Qatari national team will participate in Serbia International Championship and Sweden International Championship in October.In December, the Qatari national team will take part in Finland International Championship.Mohammad Abdullah Saleh, Secretary General of the Qatar Table Tennis Association said that the local events will be staged at the training center of the Association in Ras Abu Abboud.

Vazirabad wins Qatar Prix du Cadran

Chantilly, October 01, 2017-Vazirabad is the top French stayer, and the Qatar Prix du Cadran (Group 1) was one of the few of the biggest French races missing from his record.Yesterday, he rectified that winning the 2017 edition of the race in style. The win was five-year-old's third Group 1 victory.The race was led by Mille et Mille, winner of the 2015 edition of the race, whilst the eventual winner travelled towards the rear of the field.Once 450m from the line, Christophe Soumillon pulled out Vazirabad, owned by Aga Khan, and he went into lead with ease and won by just under a length, with Mille et Mille second.Czech runner, Trip to Rhodos, ran well to finish third seven lengths back.“He won, but I don't think that we saw Vazirabad at his best today. He was perhaps moving a little less well than usual," trainer Alain de Royer Dupré said.“He will run in the Prix Royal Oak, at a racecourse that he loves, Saint-Cloud. I won't write off the Ascot Gold Cup just yet, but he is a horse that will last, and so we won't run him if the weather is too hot, or the track too quick."In the opening race of the Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe weekend —Qatar Prix Chaudenay (Group 2) — Pascal Bary-trained Ice Breeze emerged as the winner. Ice Breeze had never run over 3000m coming into yesterday's race. However, the trip proved no problem for him, and it was in the final strides that this tough colt came to snatch victory from Call To Mind, while Darbuzan, the favourite, had to settle for third place.Trainer Damien de Watrigant came up with a full house in the Qatar Total Arabian Trophy des Juments (four-year-old fillies) with both his runners, Muneera and Jamaheer, topping the Group 1 Arabian race.“As I said previously, I think that Muneera is better than Jamaheer on soft ground. Muneera is a filly that stays the distance. Here at Chantilly, it's a testing track and that made the difference. We have finished first and second, it's hard to imagine any better," De Watrigant said.The Juliet Rose gave her all to retain the Qatar Prix de Royallieu (Group 2), and when Kitesurf and Listen In attacked while she led, she kept digging deeper till she was first past the post.Jean-Claude Rouget's Taareef too retained the Qatar Prix Daniel Wildenstein (Group 2). Royal Julius led the race at a decent pace. The eventual winner was held up towards the rear, but began his attack two furlongs out. After passing Hathal, he pulled clear and then won by just over a length in front of a fast-finishing Buthela. Noor Al Hawa was third by a little under a length.“Taareef didn't have the attitude that he showed the other day. He has done nothing today. He didn't even sweat a drop. He could run again this year, as he started running quite late on in the season. There are not that many options outside of Hong Kong, which is a difficult race, the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (Group 1) which is in three weeks, or the Breeders Cup," Rouget said.Corine Barande-Barbe-trained Garlingari showed immense courage to win the Qatar Prix Dollar (Group 2), battling all the way to the line to win ahead of Czech runner Subway Dancer, and Britain's Salouen. Garlingari followed in the footsteps of Cirrus des Aigles, also trained by Barande-Barbe, who won this race in 2010, 2012 and 2013.“I bred him, I own him, and I train him, so it is three times as exciting. I have already won this race three times with Cirrus des Aigles. It is wonderful to win it with another horse this year," Barande-Barbe said after the win.A new addition to the card was the Haras de Bouquetot – Critérium de la Vente d'Octobre Arqana, a race for two-year-old colts and fillies, who were bought at the Arqana October Yearling Sale.The prize money of this race which is exceptionally high for a Class 1 (€271,260) attracted 18 runners, and Dice Roll, in the colours of Giacomo Algranti was the clear winner. He is trained by Fabrice Chappet, and was bought as a yearling for €130,000.

Qatar bowling team win silver medal at Ashgabat

DOHA, September 28, 2017 - Chinese Taipei took advantage of Qatar's errors to take the coveted men's Team of Four bowling title, their first at an Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games.Anchor bowler Wy Hao-Ming (TPE) led the charge in the 846-744 victory with seven strikes in a row for a 256 in the Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games in Ashgabat on Wednesday. Qatar, which beat the favourites South Korea in the semi-final, struggled during the match."A silver is a lot for us,"said Ghanim Mohammed Aboujassoum, whose team won Qatar's first medal since Macau 2007. "We have been preparing for months. We were focusing on this tournament to get at least one medal and we have reached our goal."On the game against Chinese Taipei, he added,"It was not so tough. We were out of check a little bit. So, we didn't score because of that. I think we learned from that situation for the next tournament."On the lane conditions, Aboujassoum added,"A short oil pattern after a long affects things. It's a little bit different."Tsai Ying-Hao (TPE) said the team got charged up watching the Chinese Taipei women win their bronze medal in the Team of Four on Tuesday. "The women helped to motivate us," said Tsai, who was competing in his first international Games. "Their performance made us believe that we could do it as well." "You have to believe in yourself, believe in your team-mates and believe in your country. This is my first international Games and I won a gold medal. It means a lot to me."On what the medals at Ashgabat 2017 will do for bowling in Chinese Taipei: "I hope that in Chinese Taipei that this feeling of winning in bowling can keep going up. Maybe in the Asian Games we can win again."South Korea won the women's title over the Philippines, 873-801, in a match that was closer than expected "I think we did well compared to who we were competing with,"said Marian Lara Posadas (PHI), whose team won the Philippines first women's medal from the four times bowling has appeared at the Games. We have a silver medal and we competed with one of the best in the world."