Qatar, UAE book U-17 Gulf Cup semi-final spots

Doha: Qatar secured a dramatic 1-0 victory over Oman at the Under-17 Gulf Cup Wednesday to seal their place in the semi-finals.In a tense encounter at the Grand Hamad Stadium, Faisal Saeed struck the decisive goal in the fifth minute of stoppage time, sparking jubilant celebrations among the home crowd. The result lifted Team Qatar to six points from two matches, ensuring qualification, while Oman remain without a point.In the group’s other fixture, the UAE came from behind to defeat Yemen 2-1 in a thrilling contest at Suhaim Bin Hamad Stadium. Yemen took the lead in the 30th minute through an own goal by Emirati defender Butti al-Junaibi. But the same player made amends with the equaliser in the 74th minute before Mohammed Battar struck the winner in the final minute of regular time.The victory also lifted the UAE to six points, confirming their progress to the semi-finals alongside hosts Qatar. Yemen, like Oman, remain pointless and are out of contention. The group stage continues this week, but with two rounds completed, the identity of Group A’s semi-finalists is already decided, setting up a strong run-in to the knockout phase. 

Qatar’s Abdullah Al Zaraa sets new national record at Berlin Marathon

Berlin: Qatari runner Abdullah Fahad Al Zaraa achieved a new milestone for Qatar athletics by setting a national record in the 2025 Berlin Marathon, one of the world’s most prestigious and competitive long-distance races.Al Zaraa completed the 42.21 km marathon in 2:30:34 hours, setting a new national benchmark in marathon running. He averaged 3 minutes and 34 seconds per kilometer, outperforming several world-class runners with greater international experience.By finishing among the marathon’s top competitors, Al Zaraa automatically qualified for major international marathons in Chicago, Tokyo, Boston, London, and New York. His qualification adds another achievement to Qatar’s athletics, opening the door to multiple opportunities for him to further raise the nation’s profile on the global stage.Al Zaraa’s performance drew attention throughout the race, as he kept pace with elite Kenyan, Ethiopian, Japanese, European, and American runners until the closing stages, where experience ultimately played a decisive role. Kenya’s Sebastian Sawe won the race in 2:06:06, followed by Japan’s Akira Akasaki in second at 2:06:15, and Ethiopia’s Shemdesa Debele in third with 2:06:57.The Berlin Marathon is ranked as one of the world’s top six races accredited by World Athletics. The competition allows the best 20 finishers to qualify for the other five top-tier global marathons, cementing its place as a key gateway to the sport’s highest levels. 

Qatar Shooting Team Shine with two Golds and a silver at Arab Shotgun Championship in Morocco

Tangier: Team Qatar’s shooters delivered a remarkable performance at the Arab Shotgun Championship in Tangier, Morocco, claiming three medals: two gold and one silver.In the individual skeet competitions, Rashid Saleh Al Athba powered to the gold medal in the men’s category, while Hajar Ghulam Mohammed earned the women’s gold, underscoring Qatar’s dominance in both events. The men’s skeet team, featuring Al Athba alongside Mohamed Al Kuwari and Abdulaziz Al Attiya, added a silver medal in the team competition to complete the medal haul.The championship features skeet and trap events across men’s, women’s, and mixed team categories, with 60 elite shooters from eight countries: host Morocco, Qatar, Bahrain, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Lebanon, and Oman. The tournament will continue until September 28, with trap events scheduled from September 25 to 27.Ahmed Khaled Al Darwish, head of Qatar’s delegation and director of the Skeet Program, praised the athletes’ results, noting the intensity of the competition and the consistency shown by Qatar’s shooters. He highlighted the significance of winning gold in both men’s and women’s skeet as proof of the squad’s dedication and technical strength.Al Darwish emphasized that participation in the Arab Championship is an important step in preparing for the World Shotgun Championship in Greece, set to begin in three weeks. He expressed optimism about the trap events, where Qatar will also target podium finishes.Qatar’s skeet squad includes: Abdulaziz Al Attiya, Mohamed Al Kuwari, Rashid Saleh Al Athba, Masoud Saleh Al Athba, Hajar Ghulam Mohammed, Hajar Mohammed, Sarah Mohammed, and Aisha Al Ansari.The trap team features: Mohamed Al Rumaihi, Angelo Scalzoni, Rashid Hamad Al Athba, Ray Basil, Khulood Al Khalaf, Maitha Al Binali, and Amna Al Abdullah.The delegation is supported by Masoud Al Athba, director of the Trap Program.With two golds and a silver already secured, Team Qatar has made its mark on the Arab Shotgun Championship, setting the stage for continued success in the days ahead. 

Team Qatar to participate in Rio de Janeiro Elite16

Rio de Janeiro: Team Qatar’s beach volleyball duo, Cherif Younousse and Ahmed Tijan, will compete in the Elite16 World Tour stop in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, scheduled from September 24 to 28, 2025. This prestigious event is part of the International Volleyball Federation’s Beach Pro Tour, attracting the world’s top-ranked players.The Qatari pair enters the competition with high ambitions, aiming to strengthen their position in the world rankings, where they currently sit in ninth place with 5,720 points.Meanwhile, the draw for the West Asia Women’s Volleyball Championship was conducted yesterday in Doha via videoconference. The tournament will take place in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan from October 1 to 10, 2025, featuring six national teams from across the region.The ceremony was attended by Mohammed Salem Al-Kuwari, Secretary-General of the West Asia Volleyball Association, and Yousef Ahmed Kanoo, Treasurer of the Association, along with representatives from the participating national federations. The teams were placed in a round-robin schedule, with results counting toward the official International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) rankings.The second edition of the championship will see participation from Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, and host nation Jordan. Strong competition is expected, reflecting the rapid growth of women’s volleyball across the region. 

Qatar to take on Oman in U-17 Gulf Cup

Doha: Team Qatar will face a new challenge this evening when they take on Oman at 8:00 PM at Grand Hamad Stadium, in the second round of Group A of the ongoing U-17 Gulf Cup in Doha. Earlier in the day, the other Group A match will feature Yemen against the UAE at Suhaim Bin Hamad Stadium at 6:00 PM.Team Qatar opened their campaign with a hard-fought 1–0 victory over Yemen, while Oman suffered a narrow 1–0 defeat to the UAE in their opening match.Today’s encounter is expected to be tough, with Oman determined to bounce back from their first loss and avoid an early exit, while Qatar will be striving for a second consecutive win to secure a place in the semifinals and continue their journey in the tournament with confidence.Qatar delivered a strong performance in their opener against Yemen, showing superiority despite Yemen’s reputation as a competitive side. Head coach Álvaro Mejía will be looking to build on that display in today’s match against Oman. The Spanish coach expressed satisfaction with his team’s level in the first match, voicing optimism that performance will improve as the tournament progresses and stressing the importance of maintaining momentum against Oman. 

Team Qatar to face Bahrain for bronze in Asian U-17 Handball Championship

Amman: Qatar’s U-17 men’s handball team will meet Bahrain tomorrow (Thursday) in the third-place playoff of the inaugural Asian U-17 Men’s Handball Championship, currently taking place in Amman, Jordan. The tournament also serves as a qualifier for the upcoming World Championship in Morocco.Team Qatar will be looking to secure victory and claim the bronze medal after narrowly missing out on a spot in the final and World Championship qualification, following their 36–35 defeat to South Korea in the semifinals yesterday.Qatar reached the semifinals by finishing second in Group B of the main round with four points, registering two wins — 32–25 over Jordan and 26–22 against Kuwait — before falling to Iran 46–25 in their last group match.Earlier, in the preliminary round, Qatar topped Group B with four points from two victories: 38–24 against China and 27–23 over Saudi Arabia.The championship’s final will bring together South Korea and Iran, both of whom have secured qualification to represent Asia at the inaugural IHF U-17 Men’s World Championship, set to be held in Morocco from October 24 to November 1, 2025.