Team Qatar to participate in Artistic Gymnastics World Championships

Doha:  The Qatari artistic gymnastics delegation departed today for Jakarta, Indonesia, to compete in the 2025 Artistic Gymnastics World Championships, scheduled to take place from October 19 to 26.This participation reflects the Qatar Gymnastics Federation’s continued commitment to ensuring a strong presence in major international tournaments and enhancing Qatar’s regional and global standing in gymnastics.The Qatari delegation includes Ali Al Hitmi, President of the Qatar Gymnastics Federation and First Vice President of the International Gymnastics Federation, Mohammed Al Maraghi, Head of Delegation, gymnast Rakan Al Harith, gymnast Salma Nasser, coaches Jürgen Sivaklen and Mohammed Al Dulaimi, administrator Samira Saeed, and physiotherapist Essam Abu Ouda.Qatar will also be represented on the judging panel, with international referee Abeer Al Buainain, Secretary General of the Qatar Gymnastics Federation, and international referee Mahmoud Al Saadi officiating in the competition — a testament to the trust and recognition earned by Qatari officials at the international level.The Qatari delegation aims to deliver a strong showing at this prestigious global event, continuing the nation’s steady progress in gymnastics and strengthening its presence among the world’s elite in the sport.

Qatar to take on UAE in World Cup qualifiers

Doha: Faced with a must-win tie situation to clinch automatic berth for 2026 World Cup qualification, hosts Qatar are determined to overcome a confident United Arab Emirates (UAE) in the final Group A clash of the fourth round of Asian Qualifiers Playoffs at the Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium on Tuesday at 8pm.UAE, the only team to have logged a win in the group so far after they staged a late fightback to overcome Oman 2-1 on Saturday to lead the standings, now only need to avoid defeat to make their dream of playing their first World Cup since 1990, come true.Qatar in contrast are sitting second ahead of Oman on goal difference, head into the contest knowing only victory will see them advance to next year’s tournament while a draw would mean having to navigate the playoff against the Group B runners-up for one final chance of qualifying.While Qatar had an underwhelming performance in the goalless draw with Oman, the two-time AFC Asian Cup champions are not short on star quality but will need Akram Afif and Almoez Ali to lead from the start against a tough UAE.Qatar’s Spanish coach Julen Lopetegui stressed that his team is determined on gaining victory.“We’re facing a strong opponent with a top-level coach. Our full focus is on not on past encounters between the teams. Our goal is to fulfill the dream of everyone in Qatar by qualifying for the World Cup. It’s an evenly-matched contest, and we aim to win,” said Lopetegui while speaking on eve of the match..“We have full confidence in ourselves and our players, and we’re ready to do whatever it takes to win and qualify. We’re facing a major challenge and we know that. We must find solutions on the field. Our goal is clear which is to qualify and we’ll give everything in this decisive match to achieve that.”Qatar would be banking on the home turf advantage back by a vociferous home crowd.Qatar midfielder Assim Madibo said the team will have a different plan going into the tie.“The UAE’s midfield is different from Oman’s, and we’re focused on executing the plan laid out by the coaching staff. Our matches against the UAE are always competitive. As players, we know how important this is. I believe we’re ready. God willing, we’ll win and qualify. This could be the most important match of our careers,” he said.“These 90 minutes mean World Cup qualification. What’s past is past and this is a new challenge. We’re ready to make history.“I thank the fans for their constant support. They are truly our first line of strength. We saw the impact of the crowd during the Oman match. We need our fans to back us as they make us stronger,” he added.UAE coach Cosmin Olaroiu’s second-half adjustments against Oman proved decisive, with substitutes Caio Canedo, Yahia Nader and Harib Abdalla making an immediate impact to spark the turnaround and the Romanian tactician can be expected to tinker with his starting lineup for the Qatar clash.While Olaroiu was not in charge at that time, he will be determined to replicate UAE’s results in the previous stage against Qatar - a 3-1 victory followed by an emphatic 5-0 win.Marcos Meloni and Caio Lucas delivered the goals for the Emiratis against Oman while Ali Saleh, Nicolas Gimenez and Fabio Lima were influential throughout and Olaroiu’s side will fancy their chances despite Qatar having home advantage.Speaking on eve of the crucial clash, Olaroiu said, “Matches like this carry strong motivation. We have big ambitions going into this game against Qatar and these are fully legitimate. We will give everything on the pitch.“The short turnaround between the Oman game and this one hasn’t allowed us much recovery time, unlike Qatar, who come in more rested. Such contests require high mental readiness, but we will treat the match as a final and look forward to achieving the dream of the Emirati people.“We do not like to talk about excuses or pressure, as both teams are striving to win, and we are ready to give our best.”UAE fans have been flooding Doha to watch the already sold-out contest and Olaroiu regretted that many of his team’s fans may not get a seat at the stadium. “Unfortunately, a large number of our fans were unable to obtain tickets after only 8% were allocated. We requested an increase, but we will face all challenges and focus only on achieving victory,” he said.UAE player Ali Saleh felt that pressure from the fans will weigh on the minds of players of both sides.“The pressure from our fans is a motivator for us going into this decisive match against Qatar,” he said“This game is completely different from the one against Oman. We got the win there, and we’ll continue to give our best in this key match. We know it won’t be easy, but we’re determined to perform well, win, and qualify.“We’re closely following the reactions from UAE fans and they have a massive impact on us as players. We know they’re behind us, whether in the stadium or watching from home. Either way, our full focus is on this match,” he added.

Team Qatar qualify for 2026 World Table Tennis Championships in London

Bhubaneswar: Team Qatar secured qualification for the 2026 World Table Tennis Team Championships in London after defeating Sri Lanka 3–1 in the ongoing Asian Team Championships, currently taking place in Bhubaneswar, India.The match saw a strong performance from the Qatari players despite a challenging start. Mohamed Abdulwahab dropped the opening match to Sri Lanka’s Mohamed Mohamed in five sets (9–11, 11–4, 9–11, 12–10, 6–11). However, Abdullah Abdulwahab leveled the score by defeating Chameera Jenigge 3–1 (11–7, 11–9, 6–11, 11–6). Rowad Al Nasser then gave Qatar the lead with a 3–1 victory over Nimish Ranshagoda (5–11, 11–2, 11–6, 11–9). Mohamed Abdulwahab returned for the final match, sealing the win with a dominant straight-sets victory over Jenigge (11–2, 11–3, 11–5), earning Qatar a decisive 3–1 overall triumph.With this result, Team Qatar officially booked its spot at the London 2026 World Championships, following a string of impressive performances throughout the Asian competition. The team now continues its campaign in the classification rounds for positions 12 to 15, facing Uzbekistan on Monday.Earlier in the group stage, Qatar recorded victories over Nepal (3–1) and Bangladesh (3–0) before losing to Thailand (0–3), finishing second in the group behind Thailand, which advanced to the knockout stage. Qatar, meanwhile, proceeded to the ranking matches.This qualification marks another milestone for Qatari table tennis, reflecting the sport’s steady growth and consistent presence at the continental level. It also secures a well-earned place for Team Qatar among the world’s elite at the 2026 World Team Championships in London.

Curtain comes down on FIVB U18 Beach Volleyball World Championships

Doha: The curtain came down on the FIVB U18 Beach Volleyball World Championships for men and women, which were hosted by Qatar for the first time in the history of the Middle East, at the Al Gharrafa Beach Courts.In the men’s competition, Norway’s duo Ludvig Sødal Ringøen & Sebastian Lyngaas Kjemperud claimed the championship title and the gold medals after defeating Germany’s pair Jonathan Bungert & Filo Wüst in straight sets (2–0) in the final.The Italian duo  Riccardo Santomassimo & Marco Di Felice  took bronze following a 2–0 victory over Turkey’s BBarış Güldali & Polat Kemal Eser  in the third-place match.In the women’s competition, USA Team 1 — represented by Jordyn Scribner & Ella Grimes — captured the gold medals with a 2–0 victory over USA Team 2, featuring twins Avery and Addison Janke, who earned silver. The Belgian pair Lente Thant & Simone Vervloet clinched bronze after a hard-fought 2–1 win against Netherlands’ Esmee Radstake & Jara Both in the bronze medal match.The tournament featured 64 teams in total — 32 men’s and 32 women’s — representing 55 countries from across the globe.The event was hailed as a great success on both the organizational and technical fronts, earning widespread praise from all participating delegations for its high standards and meticulous planning. Participants unanimously commended the outstanding quality of the tournament, describing the Doha edition as exceptional in every respect.The championship once again demonstrated Qatar’s remarkable capabilities in hosting major international sporting events, thanks to the dedicated efforts of the organizing committee, which ensured optimal conditions for all teams and athletes — delivering a world-class tournament in every detail.

Cherif and Ahmed continue unstoppable and claim Newport Beach Elite title

Washington: The great form of Cherif Younousse and Ahmed Tijan on the Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour continued on Saturday, when the Qatari Olympic medalists claimed the title of the Elite event held in Newport Beach.The hottest men’s team in international beach volleyball right now, they made it to the top of the podium in California, flanked by two South American duos, as Brazilians Evandro Gonçalves and Arthur Lanci finished second and the Chilean Grimalt cousins Marco and Esteban ranked third in the tenth Elite event of the 2025 season.The 2025 season has been a different one for Cherif and Ahmed, who typically compete in almost every Elite event there is, but this year were limited to only six appearances on the Beach Pro Tour because of injuries.The bronze medalists of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, have, however, made the most of every opportunity they had to compete in 2025, winning four golds, with victories in the Elite events held in Gstaad, Rio de Janeiro and Newport Beach and the Xiamen Challenge.Disregarding the three forfeit defeats they were forced to accept at the Montréal Elite after Cherif got injured, the two have won 17 of their last 19 matches, including the last 11.In Newport Beach, Cherif and Ahmed made it to the top of the podium with an undefeated campaign of six victories and only one set dropped. In the final, they overcame Evandro and Arthur in straight sets (21-16, 30-28).The Newport Beach Elite was also special for the Grimalts, who had by far the best result of what has been a difficult season for them and made it to the podium for the first time in 2025. Before heading to California, the Chileans had played in 12 Beach Pro Tour events and only got to finish in the top ten three times.Their first podium appearance of the season was earned with a two-set (21-16, 21-18) victory against the American Crabb brothers Trevor and Taylor in the bronze medal match.

Qatar’s National Golf Team Excels at Bahrain Open

DOHA – Qatar’s rising golf stars, Daniel Sokolov and Saleh Al Kaabi, delivered exceptional performances at the Bahrain Open Golf Championship, which concluded on Saturday, October 11, further cementing Qatar’s growing presence in regional golf.The young duo demonstrated skill, composure, and consistency across three days of intense competition. Fourteen-year-old Daniel Sokolov impressed the field with remarkable maturity, carding rounds of 65, 70, and 76 to finish with a total of 211 strokes (five under par)  an outstanding achievement that earned him a well-deserved runner-up finish.Meanwhile, Saleh Al Kaabi showcased his trademark steadiness, posting scores of 68, 72, and 72 for a total of 212 strokes (four under par), securing third place overall. The title went to Malaysia’s Zubair Firdaus, who edged Daniel by just two strokes with a final total of 209 after a closely contested final day.These results stand as a testament to the Qatar Golf Association’s (QGA) ongoing commitment to nurturing homegrown talent through advanced technical and developmental programs. The federation’s long-term vision continues to yield results, preparing a new generation of golfers capable of competing at the highest regional and international levels.Commenting on the team’s performance, Fahad Nasser Al Naimi, Secretary-General of the Qatar Golf Association and Head of the Qatari delegation, praised the players’ outstanding showing, noting that the Bahrain Open is one of the region’s most prestigious events recognized by both the World and Arab Golf Rankings.“These results reflect the success of our strategic development programs aimed at enhancing players’ technical and mental readiness,” Al Naimi said. “Qatari golfers continue to lead the Arab rankings, thanks to structured planning, dedication, and the unwavering support of the QGA. We remain committed to providing a comprehensive environment that empowers our young athletes to represent Qatar with pride on the regional and global stage.”