Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad crowns winners of Men’s 400m Freestyle at the World Aquatics Championships

Singapore: H.E. Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani, President of the Qatar Olympic Committee and Senior Vice President of the Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC), crowned the winners of the Men’s 400m Freestyle race at the 2025 World Aquatics Championships, currently taking place in Singapore.Germany’s Lukas Maertens claimed the gold medal with a time of 3:42.35, ahead of Australia’s Samuel Short, who secured the silver medal with a time of 3:42.37, while South Korea’s Woomin Kim took the bronze medal with a time of 3:42.60.This award ceremony comes as part of the Qatar Olympic Committee’s ongoing commitment to supporting athletes at major global events and reaffirming Qatar’s active presence on the international sporting stage—especially following the nation’s successful hosting of the previous edition of the championships in Doha in 2024. 

Proud finish for Team Qatar at largest World University Games in Germany

Doha: The curtains came down on Team Qatar’s participation at the Rhein- Ruhr 2025 FISU Summer World University Games, hosted by Germany in what was the largest edition of the event to date.More than 8,500 athletes from 150 countries competed over 12 thrilling days, across 18 sports, in a spirited celebration of athletic excellence, cultural diversity, and global unity.The closing ceremony, held on Sunday, was attended by HE Dr. Ibrahim Bin Saleh Al Nuaimi, President of the Qatar Collegiate Sports Federation (QCSF) , members of Team Qatar delegation, Leonz Eder, President of the International University Sports Federation (FISU), Matthias Remund, FISU Secretary General, FISU Executive Committee members, heads of continental and national university sports federations, and a vibrant crowd of international young athletes.Qatar delivered commendable performances in fencing, table tennis, taekwondo, and tennis. Maram Al Fatnassi made a significant breakthrough, finishing ninth in taekwondo, reflecting the steady rise of women’s university sports in Qatar.In fencing (foil), Abdullah Khalifa and Khalid Hussein demonstrated promise, placing 36th and 18th respectively. In table tennis, Abdullah Abdulwahab, Youssef Magdy, and Maryam Ali advanced to the second round of their singles competitions, showing resilience and determination.Mubarakah Al Naimi represented Qatar in tennis, putting in a spirited performance.The Rhein-Ruhr 2025 edition was largest in the history of World University Games, with 234 events across 18 sports, held in 23 venues spread across multiple German cities, including Berlin, Duisburg, and Bochum.Commenting on the occasion, Rashid Saeed Adiba, QCSF Secretary-General, praised the technical and athletic performances of Team Qatar’s male and female athletes, stating that the experience significantly enriched their skills and offered valuable exposure to elite-level university competition.He emphasized that Qatar’s participation reflects its strong commitment to the values of FISU : excellence, team spirit, innovation, and integrity and highlights the country’s ambition to elevate university sports to new top standards. 

Qatar’s Abakar and Hemeida star at ISTAF indoor meeting in Berlin

Berlin: Qatar’s athletes delivered a remarkable performance in the men’s 400m hurdles event at the prestigious ISTAF 2025 meet in Berlin’s Olympiastadion on Sunday securing two podium spots.Ismail Doudai Abakar surged to victory, crossing the finish line with a season-best time of 48.04 seconds while Bassem Hemeida captured the bronze medal, setting a new personal best of 48.38 seconds to book his place at the upcoming World Athletics Championships Tokyo 2025.Germany’s Emil Agyekum secured the silver medal by equalling his personal best with a time of 48.21 seconds.Abakar and Hemeida were both within the qualifying standard for the Worlds - 48.50 secs.Abakar had previously qualified for the World Championships after clocking a time of 48.49 seconds at the Meeting International de Marseille two weeks back.Apart from the one-lap hurdlers, Ammar Ismail Yahia Ibrahim will also represent Qatar at the Tokyo Worlds, after he qualified for the 400m as the reigning Asian Champion. Qatar’s men’s 4x400m relay team - Abderrahman Samba, Hemeida, Ashraf Hussen Osman and Ibrahim - will also be in action at the Tokyo Olympic Stadium, following their qualification with a national record time of 3:00.29 at the World Athletics Relays in Guangzhou in March. 

Team Qatar claim title of West Asian Volleyball championship

Manama: Qatar clinched the inaugural West Asian Volleyball Championship title after a thrilling 3-2 victory over hosts Bahrain in the final held in Manama. The tightly contested match saw both teams exchange momentum across five intense sets, with Qatar emerging victorious 25-18, 25-18, 19-25, 21-25, and 15-13. The victory also capped a dominant campaign for the Qatari side, who showcased consistent form and high-level performances throughout the tournament.Qatar booked their spot in the final with a commanding 3-0 win over Oman in the semi-finals (25-18, 25-19, 25-20), after overpowering Lebanon in the quarter-finals by the same margin (25-17, 25-15, 25-13).In the group stage, Qatar topped Group B with three consecutive wins—starting with a 3-0 sweep of Saudi Arabia, followed by a 3-1 win over Oman, and concluding with a hard-fought 3-2 victory over Kuwait.Organised by the West Asian Volleyball Federation under the leadership of Mr. Ali Ghanem Al Kuwari, this first edition of the championship aims to elevate the level of competition among regional teams and promote the sport across West Asia.

Qatar lose to Udinese in a friendly match

Vienna: The Qatar national football team concluded their training camp in Austria with a 3–0 defeat to Italian side Udinese in their second and final friendly match.The camp was part of Qatar’s preparations for the fourth round of the AFC Asian Qualifiers – Road to the FIFA World Cup 2026.Despite a solid start to the camp, which included a 2–0 win over Ukraine’s FK Metalist Kharkiv—thanks to early goals by Almoez Ali and Mohammed Muntari—Qatar struggled to find rhythm against the Serie A outfit in Vienna.The match marked the final test for the national team before heading back to Doha on Sunday. Upon their return, players will resume training with their clubs ahead of the Qatar Stars League’s new season, which kicks off on August 14.As part of a coordinated strategy between head coach Julen Lopetegui and Al Duhail manager Djamel Belmadi, players from Al Duhail were not featured in the friendlies due to their concurrent camp in the Netherlands. Al Duhail are preparing for their AFC Champions League Elite 2025–2026 clash against Sepahan of Iran, scheduled for August 12 in Doha.Qatar are set to return to competitive action in October, when they host Oman and the UAE in Group A fixtures of the AFC Asian Qualifiers at Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium, between October 8 and 14. 

Team Qatar qualify to final of West Asian Volleyball Championship

Manama: Qatar’s men’s volleyball team secured a place in the final of the inaugural West Asian Volleyball Championship after delivering a commanding straight-sets victory over Oman (25–18, 25–19, 25–20) in today's semifinal match held in Manama, Bahrain.Displaying full control throughout the match, Team Qatar showcased their tactical discipline and cohesive play, reaffirming their ambitions to claim the title in this debut edition of the regional championship.Their path to the final has been nothing short of impressive. In the quarterfinals, Qatar overcame Lebanon in another straight-sets win (25–17, 25–15, 25–13), building on the momentum they carried from the group stage.Qatar had previously topped Group B with three consecutive victories. They opened their campaign with a 3–0 win against Saudi Arabia, followed by a 3–1 triumph over Oman, and concluded the group stage with a thrilling five-set victory over Kuwait (3–2), finishing the round with 8 points and reinforcing their status as one of the tournament’s top contenders.The team’s consistent performances, technical excellence, and strong team spirit have made them favorites for the championship title.Qatar will now await the result of the other semifinal between hosts Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, with the winner set to face them in the final.This edition marks the first-ever West Asian Men’s Volleyball Championship, launched to promote regional competition and elevate the standard of the sport in the region. The event is organized under the supervision of the West Asia Volleyball Association, chaired by Mr. Ali Ghanem Al-Kuwari.