Aref Mohammadi Claims 63kg Bronze for Qatar in Ulaanbaatar

Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia – Team Qatar continued its impressive run at the 2025 Ulaanbaatar Greco-Roman Wrestling Open, as Aref Hussain Mohammadi clinched the bronze medal in the fiercely contested 63kg category on Friday. The Qatari wrestler delivered a commanding performance to defeat Iran’s Mohammad Mahdi Abbas in a high-caliber bout that showcased technical precision and grit.Mohammadi’s podium finish comes just one day after his teammate Shaheen Mohammed captured gold in the 82kg division, underlining Qatar’s rising momentum on the international wrestling stage.The prestigious tournament, part of the United World Wrestling's World Ranking Series, is being held in the Mongolian capital from May 29 to June 1, 2025. It has drawn over 200 elite wrestlers from around the globe, including strong contingents from Mongolia, India, and Iran.This latest achievement marks another milestone for Qatari wrestling, reflecting the country’s determined efforts to strengthen its presence in the global wrestling arena. The Ulaanbaatar Open serves as the third stop in the 2025 ranking series and offers vital opportunities for wrestlers to boost their standings ahead of major upcoming events such as the World Championships and the Olympic Games.Commenting on the result, Mr. Abdullah Hamad Al-Musaifri, Assistant Secretary-General of the Qatar Boxing and Wrestling Federation, expressed his pride: "We are delighted to see our medal tally grow with this well-earned bronze. We extend our heartfelt congratulations to our champion Aref for his commendable performance. We hope this upward trajectory continues as we strive for excellence and success in continental and international competitions. Our ambitions remain high as we pursue even greater achievements."Team Qatar’s wrestling squad remains fully engaged in the tournament, driven by the ambition to add more medals and further its strategic vision of developing a competitive generation of athletes capable of representing Qatar with distinction on the world stage. 

Qatar Olympic Committee celebrates Olympic Day through Swimming, Embodying Excellence, Friendship & Respect

DOHA - In a vibrant atmosphere filled with energy, excitement, and the true spirit of competition, the Qatar Olympic Committee, in collaboration with the Qatar Swimming Association, hosted the 2025 Olympic Day at the Hamad Aquatic Centre on Friday. The event brought together an impressive 350 swimmers spanning various age categories from 10  to 18 years old, in a remarkable showcase of youth talent and aquatic excellence.The day featured a two-phase competition format, with preliminary heats held in the morning and thrilling finals contested in the afternoon. Swimmers competed across five age groups (10 years, 11–12, 13–14, 15–17, and 18 & above) in a wide array of events: 50m Breaststroke, 100m Butterfly, 200m Individual Medley, 100m Backstroke, 50m Freestyle, and exciting relay races across all categories.The event witnessed remarkable national records being shattered by two rising swimmers . Abdullah Al Ghamri, 18, delivered a breathtaking swim in the 100m Backstroke, clocking 58.89 seconds, setting a new national benchmark. Meanwhile, 10-year-old Yazan Othman stunned the crowd with an outstanding 1:16.85 performance in the same event, rewriting the national record for his age group.Through such events, Qatar continues to nurture a new generation of swimming talent, honing their skills and strengthening their competitive edge, with the ultimate goal of feeding the national teams for future participation in continental, international, and Olympic competitions.The medal ceremony was graced by Mr. Ibrahim Youssef Al-Buainain, Secretary General of the Qatar Swimming Association, Mr. Mohamed Abdulsalam Abdullah, Event Director, and Mr. Abdulaziz Ghanem, Head of Sport Activities section at the QOC, crowned the top swimmers across all five age categories.Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Mohamed Abdulsalam emphasized that this event is part of the Qatar Olympic Committee’s annual initiatives to commemorate Olympic Day and promote the core values of the Olympic Movement—peace, unity, human development, and cultural connection through sport.He added that Olympic Day aims to inspire people of all ages and backgrounds to embrace physical activity, not just as competition, but as a way of life, encouraging a more active, healthier society rooted in the joy and discipline of sport.Olympic Day is a global occasion that aims to spread awareness of sport and physical activity for all, foster the Olympic values of excellence, friendship, and respect, promote solidarity and understanding among nations through sport, and highlight the history and educational role of the Olympic Movement.The QOC remains committed to fostering a sports culture grounded in values, striving towards building a healthier and more connected society.

Saudi Arabia 2026 Qualifiers groups finalised

Kuala Lumpur: The teams aspiring to vie for the title discovered their AFC U23 Asian Cup™ Saudi Arabia 2026 Qualifiers opponents following the official draw at the AFC House in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on Thursday.The 44 sides were drawn into 11 groups for the Qualifiers, which will be contested on September 1-9, 2025.The 11 group winners and four best best-ranked runners-up will join Saudi Arabia, who are hosting the tournament for the first time, in January's Finals.Group A will see Jordan (hosts), Turkmenistan, Chinese Taipei and Bhutan vying for the automatic ticket to the Finals while two-time champions Japan, Kuwait, Myanmar (hosts) and Afghanistan will square off in Group B.Vietnam (hosts) lead the Group C cast with Yemen, Singapore and Bangladesh also hoping to advance while Australia, China PR (hosts), Timor-Leste and Northern Mariana Islands will battle it out in Group D.Group E saw 2018 winners Uzbekistan, Palestine, Kyrgyz Republic (hosts) and Sri Lanka being drawn together while Thailand (hosts), Malaysia, Lebanon and Mongolia are the Group F cast.Inaugural champions Iraq will fancy their chances in Group G but Cambodia (hosts), Oman and Pakistan stand in their way while Group H will see Qatar (hosts), Bahrain, India and Brunei Darussalam jostling for the coveted automatic spot to the Finals.Group I is set for exciting battles with UAE (hosts), Islamic Republic of Iran, Hong Kong, China and Guam drawn together, Group J will see 2020 champions Korea Republic, Indonesia (hosts), Laos and Macau challenging each other while Group K features Tajikistan (hosts), Syria, Philippines and Nepal.Draw ResultGroup A: Jordan (H), Turkmenistan, Chinese Taipei, BhutanGroup B: Japan, Kuwait, Myanmar (H), AfghanistanGroup C: Vietnam (H), Yemen, Singapore, BangladeshGroup D: Australia, China PR (H), Timor-Leste, Northern Mariana IslandsGroup E: Uzbekistan, Palestine, Kyrgyz Republic (H), Sri LankaGroup F: Thailand (H), Malaysia, Lebanon, MongoliaGroup G: Iraq, Cambodia (H), Oman, PakistanGroup H: Qatar (H), Bahrain, India, Brunei DarussalamGroup I: UAE (H), IR Iran, Hong Kong, China, GuamGroup J: Korea Republic, Indonesia (H), Laos, MacauGroup K: Tajikistan (H), Syria, Philippines, Nepal 

QOC President meets with Japanese Ambassador to Qatar

Doha: H.E. Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al-Thani, President of the Qatar Olympic Committee (QOC), met on Thursday with H.E. Mr. Naoto Hisajima, Ambassador of Japan to the State of Qatar, at the QOC headquarters. The meeting was attended by H.E. Mr. Jassim bin Rashid Al-Buenain, Secretary General of the QOC.The meeting reviewed the strong sporting ties between the two countries and explored ways to further develop and strengthen cooperation in the coming period. Discussions also touched on topics of mutual interest, including preparations for the upcoming World Athletics Championships-Tokyo 2025 and the 20th Asian Games- Nagoya 2026.The meeting also discussed the promising opportunities for exchanging expertise between the two friendly nations in the fields of sports administration and the organization of major events, building on the extensive experience both sides possess in this domain — most notably Japan’s hosting of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games and Qatar’s successful staging of major world championships, including the recently concluded ITTF World Table Tennis Championships – Doha 2025.H.E. Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al-Thani reaffirmed the Qatar Olympic Committee’s commitment to expanding international cooperation and knowledge exchange with friendly countries. He noted that the Qatari–Japanese partnership serves as a promising model for synergy in advancing the aspirations of the Olympic Movement and promoting sustainability and innovation in the sports sector at both regional and international levels.

Qatar Olympic Academy Concludes Sports Psychology Course

Doha: The Qatar Olympic Academy concluded its Sports Psychology Course today, which was held over five days starting Sunday. The course attracted over forty participants from both Qatar and abroad, representing various sports, technical, and administrative sectors.The sessions were led by Dr. Ahmad Al-Qallaf, Associate Professor at the College of Basic Education in Kuwait, and covered a wide range of topics aimed at enhancing athletic performance. Key themes included the psychological traits of athletes, mental skills, stress management, injury prevention, and the importance of holistic psychological preparation. The course also explored techniques for building confidence, body language awareness, and mental readiness strategies to strengthen psychological preparedness.Dr. Al-Qallaf emphasized the critical role of psychological training alongside physical and technical preparation, noting its impact on achieving balanced and high-level performance. He also expressed his appreciation for the active engagement of participants.For his part, Mr. Khalil Al Jaber, Executive Director of the Academy, stressed the importance of sports psychology as a fundamental pillar in athlete and team development. He announced that similar courses will be integrated into the Academy’s annual training calendar.The course concluded with a certificate distribution ceremony. Mr. Al Jaber thanked Dr. Al-Qallaf for his valuable contributions and commended the participants’ enthusiasm, highlighting the course’s success in achieving its objectives.

Qatar’s Wrestler Shaheen Mohammed Wins Gold at Ulaanbaatar Open 2025

Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia – Qatar’s Shaheen Mohammed delivered a standout performance to claim gold in the 82kg Greco-Roman category at the prestigious 2025 Ulaanbaatar Open, part of the United World Wrestling (UWW) Ranking Series.Held from May 29 to June 1, the tournament drew over 200 top wrestlers from around the world, including strong contingents from Mongolia, India, and Iran. In a thrilling final, Shaheen overcame India’s top-ranked Prince with poise and precision, securing a major career milestone.This victory comes on the heels of his bronze medal at the 2025 Asian Wrestling Championships in Amman, further underlining his ascent in global rankings and his status as one of the brightest talents in the 82kg division.Shaheen’s triumph also reflects the growing strength of Qatari wrestling, fuelled by long-term investment in elite athlete development. The Ulaanbaatar Open marked the third stop in this year’s UWW Ranking Series, offering vital ranking points ahead of the World Championships and Olympic Games.H.E. Sheikh Fahad bin Khalid Al Thani, President of the Qatar Boxing and Wrestling Federation, congratulated Shaheen, praising his achievement as a symbol of Qatar’s sporting ambition. “We are nurturing a generation ready to shine on regional, global, and Olympic stages,” he affirmed.