Qatar Collegiate Sports Federation Caps FISU World University Weightlifting Doha 2026 with Another Chapter of Success

DOHA – The 10th edition of the World University Weightlifting Championships Doha 2026 concluded in Doha today, Saturday, following five days of intense competition from September 8 to 12. Organized by the Qatar Collegiate Sports Federation and held at Education City, the championship featured 116 athletes representing 21 countries from around the world, competing in 16 weight categories, with eight categories for men and eight for women.H.E. Dr. Ibrahim bin Saleh Al Nuaimi, President of the Qatar Collegiate Sports Federation, extended his sincere congratulations to His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, the Amir of the State of Qatar, and H.E. Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani, President of the Qatar Olympic Committee, on Qatari weightlifter Wissal Yakhlel’s achievement of winning three gold medals in the women’s +86kg category and   the outstanding success of the FISU World University Championship Weightlifting Doha 2026. He expressed his appreciation for their valued support for sport, emphasizing that this success represents a continuation of Qatar’s distinguished track record in hosting and organizing major international sporting events.H.E. Dr. Al Nuaimi extended his sincere thanks and appreciation to H.E. Mr. Mohammed Yousef Al Mana, First Vice President of the Qatar Olympic Committee and President of the Qatar Weightlifting Federation, commending the Federation’s fruitful cooperation and valued efforts in successfully organizing this outstanding edition of the championship, which received widespread praise and acclaim. He also expressed his sincere gratitude to Qatar Foundation for hosting the championship and for its instrumental role in ensuring the success of this sporting event.H.E. Dr. Al Nuaimi also congratulated Wissal Yakhlef, team Qatar lifter, on winning three gold medals, describing her achievement as the perfect finale to the championship and a source of pride for Qatari university sport. He expressed his pride in her accomplishment and wished her continued success and excellence, with further achievements in her upcoming Asian and Olympic competitions.The closing ceremony was attended by Mr. Rashid Saeed Adiba, Secretary-General of the Qatar Collegiate Sports Federation; Dr. Milan Mihajlovic, FISU TCC Weightlifting; and Ms. Sarita Morales Brenes, FISU ICC member, along with a number of prominent sports and academic figures and members of the QCSF Board.Addressing the audience and athletes at the closing ceremony, Mr. Rashid Saeed Odhaiba, Secretary-General of the Qatar University Sports Federation, said: “On this special evening, we come to the conclusion of the FISU World University Championship Weightlifting Doha 2026, bringing to a close five days filled with competition, passion and determination. We succeeded in delivering an event worthy of the stature of this global sporting occasion, and this success would not have been possible without your collective efforts, dedication, perseverance and spirit of teamwork.In her remarks, Ms. Sarita Morales Brenes, Member of the International Control Committee of the International University Sports Federation (FISU), extended her sincere thanks and appreciation, on behalf of FISU, to the Qatar University Sports Federation and all officials, guests, volunteers, coaches, technical officials and athletes for their contributions to the success of the World University Weightlifting Championships Doha 2026. She noted that, over five days, the championship brought together the values of hard work, focus, respect and friendship.In the men’s 110kg category on Saturday , American George Upmeyer asserted his dominance, sweeping all three gold medals in the Snatch, Clean and Jerk and Total. He posted 168kg in the Snatch, 201kg in the Clean and Jerk and 369kg in the Total to complete a commanding performance.Romanian Paul Ionita enjoyed a strong showing on the podium, collecting three medals ,  two silver and one bronze. He secured silver in the Clean and Jerk with a 196kg lift and in the Total with 359kg, while adding a bronze medal in the Snatch after lifting 163kg. American Caleb Weakland also finished among the medalists, claiming three medals , silver in the Snatch with 164kg, bronze in the Clean and Jerk with 192kg, and bronze in the Total with 356kg.Dr. Milan Mihajlovic, FISU TCC Weightlifting , presented the medals to the top three finishers in the men’s 110kg category, in a celebratory atmosphere that reflected the significance of their achievements and the competitive spirit that defined the championship.In the women’s 86kg category, Chinese Taipei’s Yulin Peng dominated the competition, claiming all three gold medals. She took gold in the Snatch with a lift of 107kg, followed by gold in the Clean and Jerk with 125kg, before completing her sweep with gold in the Total at 232kg. South Korea’s Yubin Hong secured three silver medals, finishing second in the Snatch with 100kg, the Clean and Jerk with 124kg, and the Total with 224kg. Moldova’s Anastasia Palich completed the podium with three bronze medals, recording 93kg in the Snatch, 116kg in the Clean and Jerk, and 209kg in the Total.In the women’s +86kg category, Qatar’s Wissal Yakhlef also swept all three gold medals, winning the Snatch with 125kg, the Clean and Jerk with 155kg, and the Total with 280kg. South Korea’s Hyoebin secured three silver medals, with 103kg in the Snatch, 145kg in the Clean and Jerk, and 248kg in the Total. Slovakia’s Lenka Zimbova claimed three bronze medals, lifting 102kg in the Snatch, 127kg in the Clean and Jerk, and 229kg in the Total.H.E. Dr. Ibrahim bin Saleh Al Nuaimi, President of the Qatar Collegiate Sports Federation and Chairman of the Organizing Committee, presented the medals to the top three finishers in the women’s 86kg and +86kg categories, as the Qatari athlete celebrated her outstanding achievement amid a festive atmosphere.In the men’s +110kg category, Iraqi lifter Jabar Mustafa dominated the podium, claiming all three gold medals after winning the Snatch with 170kg, the Clean and Jerk with 212kg, and the Total with 382kg. South Korea’s Dong Hyun Kim secured two silver medals, taking silver in the Clean and Jerk with 211kg and in the Total with 363kg.Moldova’s Stanislav Uja claimed two medals , silver and bronze after taking silver in the Snatch with 166kg and bronze in the Total with 357kg. Finland’s Hanno Keskitalo won bronze in the Snatch with 165kg, while South Korea’s Dong Hyun Kim claimed bronze in the Clean and Jerk with 198kg.The closing ceremony also featured the handover of the FISU flag to Ms. Sarita Morales Brenes, Member of the International Control Committee of FISU. Albania will host the 11th edition of the championship in two years. With the flag passed to the next host nation, the curtain came down on five days of competition that brought together around 116 male and female athletes from 21 countries, showcasing strong technical performances and fiercely contested competition across the various weight categories.

Moldova Sweep Six Gold Medals at FISU World University Weightlifting Championship

Doha: Moldova dominated the fourth day of the 10th FISU World University Weightlifting Championship – Doha 2026, sweeping all six gold medals on offer at Education City.The championship, which concludes on September 12, features 116 male and female athletes representing 21 countries, further strengthening Qatar’s presence on the international university sports calendar.Competition on the fourth day featured two weight categories, with two groups contesting the women’s 77kg event and one group competing in the men’s 95kg category.In the women’s 77kg competition, which featured 18 weightlifters, Moldova’s Alexandrina Ciubotaru completed a clean sweep of the three gold medals. She lifted 102kg in the snatch and 122kg in the clean and jerk for a total of 224kg.South Korea’s Kim Jae-hyeon claimed silver in the snatch with 99kg and in the total with 215kg, while the USA’s Andrea Barrows took silver in the clean and jerk after lifting 121kg.Chinese Taipei’s Yang Shu-ting earned two bronze medals, lifting 98kg in the snatch and recording a total of 213kg. South Korea’s Shin Hyo-rin took bronze in the clean and jerk with 117kg.Moldova continued their dominance in the men’s 95kg competition, where Teodor Bratu swept all three gold medals. He lifted 159kg in the snatch and 191kg in the clean and jerk for a winning total of 350kg.Chinese Taipei’s Hsu Chin-chia finished with two silver medals and a bronze, taking silver in the snatch with 157kg and the total with 342kg, as well as bronze in the clean and jerk with 185kg.The USA’s Robert Brooks also collected two medals, taking silver in the clean and jerk with 185kg and bronze in the total with 335kg, while Spain’s Eki Lizaso Beringas earned bronze in the snatch with 152kg.Sarita Morales Brenes, a member of the International Control Committee of the International University Sports Federation (FISU), presented the medals to the winners of the women’s 77kg and men’s 95kg competitions.The championship concludes on Saturday with four weight categories: the women’s 86kg and +86kg, and the men’s 110kg and +110kg.On the other hand, Qatar’s Ouissal Ikhlef will compete in the women’s +86kg category on the final day on Saturday.The event represents Ikhlef’s final competitive appearance before joining Team Qatar for the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games, which begin in Japan later this month. She will be looking to build on her international experience against a strong field in Doha.Ouissal Ikhlef has enjoyed a successful season, highlighted by three medals at the 2026 Asian Weightlifting Championships in Gandhinagar, India, where she claimed two silver medals and a bronze in the +86kg category.She also produced an outstanding performance at the 2025 Islamic Solidarity Games, winning three gold medals in the +86kg category after topping the snatch, clean and jerk and total standings, with a combined lift of 277kg.Her appearance at the World University Championship provides another important competitive test as she continues preparations for the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games in Japan. 

Team Qatar Basketball Lose to Jordan at Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games

Tokyo: Team Qatar’s men’s basketball team suffered a 76–65 defeat to Jordan on Saturday in their second Group B match at the 20th Asian Games Aichi-Nagoya 2026, which officially open in Japan on September 19 and run until October 4.Qatar had opened their campaign with a 59–53 victory over Iran and will face Chinese Taipei on Sunday in their final preliminary-round match.The men’s basketball competition features 12 teams divided into three groups. Group A comprises Japan, South Korea, Saudi Arabia and Indonesia, while Group B features Qatar, Iran, Jordan and Chinese Taipei. China, the Philippines, Bahrain and Kazakhstan make up Group C.The knockout rounds will follow the conclusion of the preliminary stage, culminating in the final on Sunday, September 20, when the men’s basketball champions will be crowned.Qatar are participating in the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games with a delegation of 243 athletes – 184 men and 59 women – representing 18 sports federations.At the previous Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, in 2023, Qatar won 14 medals, comprising five gold, six silver and three bronze. 

QTerminals Qatar Classic 2026 Gets Off to Exciting Start in Doha

Doha: The QTerminals Qatar Classic 2026 got underway at the Khalifa International Tennis and Squash Complex on Saturday, with the opening day producing several impressive performances and a major upset in the men’s draw.The tournament, featuring many of the world’s leading men’s and women’s players, runs until September 18.Men’s world No. 1 Mostafa Asal of Egypt made a commanding start to his campaign with a 3–0 victory over Switzerland’s Nicolas Mueller, winning 11–6, 11–6, 11–4.Asal will face another Swiss player, Yannick Wilhelmi, in Sunday’s second round. Wilhelmi recovered from two games down to defeat Scotland’s Greg Lobban 3–2 (9–11, 7–11, 11–3, 11–7, 11–8).Defending champion Paul Coll of New Zealand also advanced in straight games, defeating India’s Veer Chotrani 11–2, 11–3, 11–1. Coll will next meet Switzerland’s Dimitri Steinmann, who overcame India’s Abhay Singh 3–0 (11–7, 11–9, 14–12).The biggest upset of the opening day came when American Timothy Brownell knocked out world No. 3 and two-time Qatar champion Diego Elias of Peru. Brownell recovered from two games down to claim a 3–2 victory (5–11, 9–11, 11–6, 11–5, 11–7).Qatar’s Abdulla Al Tamimi, making his return to competition following an injury layoff, was beaten 3–1 by Egypt’s Karim Abdel Gawad (11–7, 15–13, 5–11, 11–8).Speaking to Qatar News Agency (QNA) after the match, Al Tamimi said he was pleased to return to competition at the Qatar Classic after receiving a wild card from the Organizing Committee.He said facing a player of Abdel Gawad’s calibre provided valuable preparation ahead of his participation with Team Qatar at the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games, which will be held in Japan from September 19 to October 4.Al Tamimi added that his focus will now turn to the Asian Games, where he hopes to win a medal for Qatar. He will continue training in Doha with his national team teammates before travelling to Japan.Abdel Gawad, meanwhile, praised the organization of the Qatar Classic and wished Qatar’s squash players success at the Asian Games. He described the Doha tournament as one of the major events on the international squash calendar and said he hopes to make a deep run and challenge for another title.Elsewhere in the men’s draw, France’s Victor Crouin, the fifth seed, defeated Egypt’s Fares Dessouky 3–0 (11–8, 11–8, 11–7), while three-time world junior champion Mohamed Zakaria of Egypt overcame Germany’s Raphael Kandra 3–1 (11–4, 11–3, 5–11, 11–5).England’s Marwan ElShorbagy, the seventh seed, recorded a 3–0 victory over Spain’s Bernat Jaume (11–5, 11–7, 11–7). France’s Baptiste Masotti edged Colombia’s Juan Vargas 3–2, while Egypt’s Mohamed Abouelghar defeated England’s Declan James 3–0.In the women’s draw, world No. 1 and defending champion Hania El Hammamy began her title defence with a 3–1 victory over fellow Egyptian Hana Moataz.Second seed Amina Orfi defeated compatriot Hana Ramadan 3–0, while third seed and 2024 champion Nour El Sherbini advanced with a 3–1 victory over Egypt’s Nada Abbas.Malaysia’s Sivasangari Subramaniam, the fourth seed, beat Egypt’s Sana Ibrahim 3–1, while Egypt’s Nouran Gohar made a successful return to competition following a five-month absence, defeating compatriot Kenzy Ayman 3–0.One of the standout results in the women’s draw came from India’s rising star Anahat Singh, who defeated Egypt’s Farida Mohamed 3–2. Egypt’s Malak Khafagy also secured a five-game victory over Malaysia’s Aira Azman.In other matches, Egypt’s Fayrouz Aboelkheir defeated compatriot Nadine El Hammamy 3–0, while Malaysia’s Aifa Azman recorded a 3–1 victory over American Marina Stefanoni.

Al Buenain participates in Women in Basketball Forum in Berlin

Berlin:  H.E. Jassim bin Rashid Al Buenain, Secretary General of the Qatar Olympic Committee and Vice Chairman of the Local Organizing Committee of the FIBA Basketball World Cup Qatar 2027, participated in the Women in Basketball Forum, hosted by FIBA in the German capital Berlin on Friday, bringing together leading figures, decision-makers and representatives from the sports, media and business sectors.Al Buenain took part in a panel discussion titled “Beyond the Game: Building a Legacy for the Next Generation,” which explored future opportunities for basketball, ways to expand opportunities for women and girls in sport, and the role Qatar’s hosting of the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027 can play in supporting the development of the game and creating a sustainable legacy in Qatar and across the region.During the session, Al Buenain stressed that hosting the FIBA Basketball World Cup Qatar 2027 represents an opportunity that goes beyond staging a major global sporting event, contributing to the growth of the game, encouraging future generations to take up basketball and broadening participation in Qatar and across the region.He said: “Qatar 2027 is not about proving that Qatar can host another major sporting event; Qatar has already demonstrated that, repeatedly, over the past two decades. The real opportunity now is to show what happens when world-class infrastructure, experience and innovation come together, and stay together, long enough to become a lasting, mainstream legacy for basketball, for this region, and for the next generation.”He also stressed that the true measure of the tournament’s success goes beyond the event itself to what it leaves behind once the final buzzer sounds. He highlighted the importance of building on Qatar’s world-class infrastructure, experience and capabilities, and leveraging the hosting of the tournament to support the long-term development of basketball, broaden opportunities for participation, and establish a lasting legacy for the game in Qatar, across the region and for future generations.The Women in Basketball Forum explores the opportunities shaping the future of women’s basketball through a series of sessions and discussions addressing key drivers of growth across the sports ecosystem, including investment, leadership, media, fan engagement and commercial innovation, while highlighting the growing role of women’s basketball in shaping the future of sport.

Abderrahman Samba and Bassem Mohammed to Compete at Elite Athletics Event in Hungary

Doha: The Qatar Athletics Federation announced that Team Qatar’s Abderrahman Samba and Bassem Mohammed will compete at the World Athletics Ultimate Championship in Budapest, Hungary, from September 11 to 13.The Qatari duo will compete in the men’s 400m hurdles on Saturday, alongside some of the world’s leading track and field athletes.Samba heads into the event having clocked a season’s best of 47.77 seconds during the Diamond League, while Bassem Mohammed recorded his best time of the season, 47.56 seconds, at the Bellinzona meeting in Switzerland.Their participation forms part of the Qatar Athletics Federation’s preparations for the 20th Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, later this month.Samba has established himself as one of Asia’s leading 400m hurdlers over the past five years, while Bassem Mohammed is the reigning Asian champion, having won the continental title in Bangkok in 2023.In addition to competing in the 400m hurdles at the Asian Games, Samba and Bassem will also represent Qatar in the men’s 4x400m relay, alongside Ammar Ismail Ibrahim and Ashraf Hussen Osman.