Third Edition of Qatar Professional Squash Championship concludes

DOHA  – In a dazzling display of skill and determination, Saudi squash sensation Mohammed Nasfan etched his name in the record books, claiming the championship title in the third edition of the Qatar Professional Squash Championship . The prestigious event, hosted at the Khalifa International Tennis and Squash Complex, drew an elite roster of international players, making Nasfan’s triumph even more remarkable.The final match was a gripping spectacle, as Nasfan faced off against Kuwait’s Abdulrahman Al-Maghribi in a fiercely contested battle. Despite dropping the second game, the Saudi star displayed unwavering resilience, securing victory with a 3-1 win (11-5, 9-11, 11-6, 11-6), showcasing his tactical brilliance and mental fortitude.This landmark achievement marks Nasfan’s first-ever professional PSA title, a significant milestone in his promising career.Speaking on the occasion, Saad Al-Menhadi, tournament director, extended his heartfelt congratulations to champion Mohammed Nasfan and runner-up Abdulrahman Al-Maghribi. He underscored the tournament’s vital role in fostering talent, particularly in developing Qatari players and elevating their competitive standards on the international stage.With this resounding victory, Mohammed Nasfan has firmly announced his arrival on the professional squash scene, setting the stage for an exciting future in the sport.

Qatar U-23 Team gets better of Thailand in International Friendly Tournament

Doha, March 22 (QNA) - The Qatar under-23 football team secured a 2-1 victory against its Thai counterpart on Saturday at Abdullah bin Khalifa Stadium in the second round of the ongoing international friendly tournament in Doha.This marks Qatar's first win in the tournament, following a 1-1 draw with Egypt. The team now sits at four points, boosting their chances of competing for the championship title.This friendly tournament serves as vital preparation for the Qatar team ahead of the AFC U-23 Asian Cup qualifiers, scheduled for September.The tournament also includes Croatia, Egypt, Australia, and the UAE and will continue until March 25.  

Qatar to face Thailand in International Friendly Tournament

Doha: Qatar’s U-23 national football team will return to action tomorrow (Saturday) as they take on Thailand at Abdullah bin Khalifa Stadium in their second match of the International Friendly Tournament, which continues through March 25.The tournament features six teams: Qatar, Thailand, Egypt, Croatia, Australia, and the UAE.Following their 1-1 draw with Egypt in the opening match, head coach Ilidio Vale will be aiming to guide his side to their first win of the tournament to stay in the hunt for the title. The coaching staff is also using the tournament as an opportunity to assess the squad’s readiness and build momentum ahead of the AFC U-23 Championship qualifiers, scheduled for September 2025.In the first match, standout performances came from Mohamed Khaled, Al Duhail striker Mubarak Shanan, and Tahseen Mohamed, while goalkeeper Ali Mohamed made a crucial last-minute penalty save in the 94th minute, preserving the draw.

Qatar thrash North Korea, cling to WC playoff hopes

Doha: Qatar kept their FIFA World Cup hopes alive with a 5-1 win over North Korea in Group A of the AFC Asian Qualifiers at the Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium in Doha on Thursday.Akram Afif played a captain’s role as the victory took Qatar level on 10 points with the United Arab Emirates, nine behind leaders Iran and six adrift of Uzbekistan, with only the top two teams to qualify automatically for next year’s global showpiece. Defeat for North Korea left them rooted at the bottom with two points.Hoping to qualify for the FIFA World Cup on merit after hosting the 2022 edition, Qatar are nine points behind Iran and six behind Uzbekistan with only three matches left. The top two spots, which will bring automatic qualification, look out of reach for Qatar.However, the third and fourth-placed teams will advance to a playoff where another two berths to the World Cup will be at stake and Qatar are right in the mix for it. Both Qatar and North Korea, who played out a 2-2 draw last September, were evenly matched in the first 15 minutes, until an unmarked Afif blasted in from the centre of the box following a set-piece by Mostafa Meshaal in the 17th minute.The action swung then swung to the opposite end of the pitch three minutes later, with Qatar custodian Meshaal Barshamforced into a full-length save from Kang Kuk-chol’s attempt from almost 25 yards.The two-time Asian Cup champions added their second in the 23rd minute when Asian player of the year Afif sent a brilliant through pass from his half that found Ahmed al-Ganehi, who outpaced defender Kim Jin-hyok and sent the ball from inside the 18 yard box past an outstretched Kang Ju-hyok.North Korea almost pulled one back in the 30th minute but keeper Barsham got his fingertips to a direct free-kick from Kang Kuk-chol to push the ball over the crossbar. Kim Yu-son then added salt to injury in the 34th minute when he bundled the ball into his own net after intercepting a pass from Homam Ahmed intended for Murad Hussein.The East Asians started the more dominant side after the break, but it was Qatar who found the back of the net again with another moment of brilliance in the 56th minute from Afif, who sent a defence-splitting pass from his half to Ahmed al-Rawi, who ran down the middle and easily put the ball past Kang Ju-hyok.Ahmed Alaadin, who had come on in the 62nd minute, put the match beyond North Korea’s reach three minutes later when he received Afif’s quickly taken free-kick, beat the keeper and slotted home before Pak Kwang-hun pulled one back in the 86th minute for North Korea.Qatar will meet Kyrgyzstan on Tuesday while North Korea face the UAE.

Nishan Shooting Championship Wraps Up with Thrilling Performances

Doha: The Nishan Ramadan Shooting Championship came to an exciting close at the Lusail Shooting Range Complex, after a highly competitive tournament that began on the first day of Ramadan. Held under the patronage of H.E. Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al-Thani, President of the Qatar Olympic Committee (QOC), and organized in collaboration with the Qatar Shooting & Archery Federation, the championship saw a record-breaking 555 participants across various disciplines, including pistol, rifle, archery, skeet, and trap.In the 10-meter pistol event, Osama Al Shaiba claimed gold, followed by Abdullah Al Obaidli with silver, while Doaa Rahmatullah took bronze.The 10-meter rifle competition saw Ali Al Mahandi secure gold, with Abdulrahman Al Sulaity taking silver, and Maha Al Ali earning bronze.In Olympic archery, Maha Abdulhaye emerged as the gold medalist, while Ahmed Al Sada won silver, and Suleiman Abu Taima took bronze.In the mixed Olympic archery event, the duo of Maha Abdulhaye and Ahmed Al Sada clinched gold, with Reem Al Saai and Suleiman Abu Taima earning silver.The compound archery competition saw Aisha Al Saai win gold, followed by Hamad Al Yafei with silver, and Aisha Al Azzazi with bronze.In skeet shooting, Rashid Saleh Al Athba secured the gold medal, while Saeed Abu Sharb claimed silver, and Masoud Saleh Al Athba took bronze.The trap shooting event was dominated by Team Qatar’s Rashid Taleb Al Athba, who clinched gold after finishing first in the final round standings. Mohammed Al Rumaihi took silver, while Hamad Ali Al Athbi secured bronze.In the men’s amateur division, Masoud Al Athba took gold with a total score of 669 points, while Badr Al Marri secured silver with 665 points, and Badr Al Yousuf claimed bronze with 648 points.In the women’s amateur division, Al Anoud Hamad Al Ahbabi won gold with 612 points, followed by Mona Al Noubi, who earned silver with 594 points, while Atema secured bronze with 552 points.The awards ceremony was attended by Jassim Shaheen Al Sulaiti, Secretary-General of the Qatar Shooting & Archery Federation, and Youssef Mohammed Al Nuaimi, representative of the Sports & Social Activities Support Fund "DAAM".With another successful edition, the Nishan Shooting Championship 2025 reaffirmed Qatar’s growing strength in shooting sports, providing a platform for both seasoned professionals and emerging talents to showcase their skills at the highest level. 

Abakar to represent Qatar at World Indoor Athletics

Nanjing: Aspire Academy-trained athlete Oumar Abakar will represent Qatar at the World Indoor Athletics Championships in Nanjing, China, which begins on March 21.His qualification for the global event highlights the success of the ongoing collaboration between Aspire Academy and the Qatar Athletics Federation to develop world-class competitors.Abakar, who qualified thanks to his time that broke the Qatar national record set earlier this year, will be Qatar’s only athlete at the event as he competes in the 60m hurdles. His time of 7.67 seconds at the Aarhus Sprint ‘n’ Jump event in January broke the old record of 7.78s, set at the same meeting last year, by Aspire Academy graduate Saeed Saeed al-Absi.Since racing in Europe, Abakar and his Aspire Academy coach Lee Christopher have been preparing for China in South Africa along with other sprinters and hurdlers. The meeting in Aarhus, Denmark was one of three in Europe that Abakar took part in late January as he made the step up from under-20 competitions to the senior ranks.His step up to the senior ranks comes after a strong final year as an under-20 competitor that saw him set the sixth-fastest time of 2024 for the 110m hurdles outdoors for his age group. He also narrowly missed out on a medal at the World Under-20 Athletics Championships as he finished fourth in Peru. The move up to the senior events not only means competing against more experienced athletes but also having to race over higher hurdles – for under-20s, they are 99cm, while for senior events they are 106.7cm.Despite the changes, Oumar insists that he has been able to adapt quickly to the challenges: “The level of the hurdles hasn’t been too hard because I’m tall and so personally it doesn’t matter too much to move from junior to senior.”He added that racing in Europe, which included racing in front of larger crowds and saw him racing twice in a day, was an important part of his development. “It’s not easy to be honest, to travel from country to country (in a short space of time), so this is hard for me. But racing with the big guy, as I stepped, that was exciting, and it’s nice to race against them, and I like that challenge to be honest. I also enjoyed racing in front of bigger crowds too. My big aim is to continue my good form outdoors, and of course, my big dream is to qualify for September’s World Athletics Championships in Tokyo.”His coach Lee Christopher, who works closely with the Qatar Athletics Federation, will be travelling with Abakar to China. He is confident the 20-year-old has all the tools to make a successful transition to the senior level.“He is coping well with the step up to the senior men’s event. Going on his first European indoor tour and racing indoors properly was fantastic,” Christopher said.He is really strong at the end of the 110-metre hurdles race, so running 60 metres indoors will help him improve on his start and prepare him to be able to run outdoors as well. It was also important for him to experience the atmosphere of running in front of a crowd. In Poland he raced and beat a Polish athlete who was a semi-finalist at the World Indoor Championships last year. This year he has come against Olympians from Paris last year and even finished ahead of some. So, he has really stepped up a level in terms of competition and atmosphere.”“The change in height of the barriers is an interesting step up for anyone, but the reality is he is now running similar times to the ones he was over the smaller hurdles. He’s worked really hard to make that step and worked hard on his technique to be able to handle it.”“Not only has he stepped up physically, but his psychological preparation has really exceeded our expectations. He was so composed. Ultimately, the bigger goal is the Tokyo Outdoor World Championships in September. The World Indoor Championships will be a stepping stone towards that and to gaining experience at senior world championships. He’s still growing, still learning and progressing well.”