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. 

HH the Amir Participates in 144th IOC Session

Pylos: HH the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, a member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), participated in the 144th IOC session, chaired by HE President of the IOC Dr. Thomas Bach and attended by Olympic Executive Board members, IOC members, and presidents of the international federations and National Olympic Committees in Pylos in the Hellenic Republic on Thursday.HE President of the Qatar Olympic Committee and Senior Vice President of the Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC) Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al-Thani also participated in the meeting.The meeting discussed the topics on its agenda and took appropriate decisions regarding them. (QNA

Sheikh Joaan attends the 144th IOC Session

Pylos: H.E. Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani, Senior Vice President of the Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC) attended the 144th Session of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), which was held today in Pylos, Greece. The session was chaired by Dr. Thomas Bach, the former President of the IOC, and attended by members of the Executive Board, IOC members, Presidents of International Federations.Taking place close to ancient Olympia, the birthplace of the Olympics, the session discussed several topics related to the development of the Olympic Movement, along with reviewing the agenda items and taking the necessary decisions.The session also witnessed the election of H.E. Mrs. Kristy Coventry as the new President of the IOC, succeeding Dr. Thomas Bach, whose term had come to an end. 97 IOC members voted in the election, which marked the first IOC presidential election to be held since 2013.On this occasion, H.E. Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani congratulated H.E. Mrs. Kristy Coventry on her election as IOC President, wishing her success in leading the global Olympic Movement and further advancing its growth and prosperity.His Excellency also expressed his confidence in the new President-elect ability to continue efforts in promoting Olympic values and strengthening the role of sport as a means of unity and sustainable development. He emphasized the importance of cooperation between the IOC and National Olympic Committees to achieve the goals of the Olympic Movement and uphold its principles worldwide.

Qatar face North Korea in crucial World Cup qualifier

Doha: Luis Garcia wants his Qatar side to be firing on all cylinders when they face North Korea in their World Cup 2026 qualifying match at the Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium tonight. Qatar, hoping to qualify for the FIFA World Cup on merit after hosting the 2022 edition, has struggled with inconsistency in their first six matches, leaving them in fourth place with just seven points.Garcia replaced AFC Asian Cup-winning head coach Marquez Lopez in December and has the difficult task of reviving Qatar’s fortunes, even though the team’s fate is no longer in their own hands.With Iran on 16 points and Uzbekistan just three points behind, the top two spots, which bring automatic qualification, seem out of reach. However, the third and fourth-placed teams will advance to a playoff, where another two World Cup berths will be at stake. Garcia is determined to keep Qatar in the mix for these coveted playoff spots.After facing North Korea, Qatar will travel to face Kyrgyzstan on March 25. To bolster his squad, Garcia has called up several experienced players, including Boualem Khoukhi, Abdelkarim Hassan and Abdulaziz Hatem, who missed the Arabian Gulf Cup in Kuwait last December, where Qatar crashed out in the group stages without a win. Pedro Miguel and Edmilson Junior have also been included in the squad.The team’s fortunes will heavily depend on the attacking prowess of star striker Akram Afif and his partner Almoez Ali. Veteran forward Mohammed Muntari and Al Rayyan’s young striker Ahmed al-Rawi will also form part of the frontline. Qatar is hoping that the combination of youth and experience will give them the edge in their upcoming matches.However, the squad will be without experienced goalkeeper Saad al-Sheeb, who has been ruled out due to a calf injury. Al Shahniya’s keeper Shehab Ellethy has been called up to take his place in the preliminary squad.Qatar’s qualification hopes have been under scrutiny after a disappointing start to their campaign, with only two wins from their first six matches. A 5-0 loss to the UAE marked the end of Lopez’s tenure as head coach, with his former deputy Garcia now at the helm. Garcia expressed confidence ahead of the match against North Korea, emphasising the importance of the fixture for Qatar’s World Cup qualification hopes.“We are ready for this important match. It will not be an easy challenge against North Korea, and the players are required to give their maximum effort,” Garcia said in a press conference yesterday.He reaffirmed Qatar’s ambition to secure a World Cup spot, stating, “We have a clear goal, which is to qualify for the World Cup. We will go step by step, and our current focus is on the match against North Korea. We will then shift our focus to the next match against Kyrgyzstan.”“The players are excited about the home game, in which we are aiming to collect three points and get back on the right path for direct qualification,” Garcia added.Defender Homam al-Amin stressed the importance of a strong performance against North Korea. “This match will be extremely important in our qualifying campaign, and we are required to go all out for a victory,” said al-Amin. “We are determined to win and achieve a result that puts the team on the right track. We hope for huge support from our home fans,” he added.North Korea’s chances of finishing in the top two are nearly dashed, with the East Asian side sitting on just two points. However, the playoffs remain within reach, and North Korea will give it their best shot, having already held Qatar to a 2-2 draw when the teams met last September.North Korea’s head coach, Sin Yong-nam, reflected on his team’s preparations ahead of the Qatar clash. “We are well prepared for the match after we had a short training camp in Jordan, where we also played a friendly match to test our match readiness before the important game,” Sin said. He acknowledged the difficulty of facing Qatar, noting, “Qatar will be extremely difficult. It is a side that has good players and won the Asian Cup.”Sin expressed confidence in his players’ ability to perform under pressure, saying, “We will be required to give our best and achieve a positive result from this tough match. I am confident that my players will give their maximum effort to come out with a desired result.”North Korean defender Jang Kuk-chol also spoke about the challenge of playing Qatar on their home ground. “It is going to be a very difficult challenge against Qatar on their home ground, but we are eyeing a win and to obtain three precious points,” Jang said. “The entire squad is completely ready. We will need to stick to our plan and fight until the last minute to achieve our goal in the match.” 

Team Qatar ranked 13th in latest FIVB world rankings

Lausanne: Team Qatar's beach volleyball duo, Cherif Younousse and Ahmed Tijan, have been ranked 13th in the latest world rankings released by the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB). The newly published rankings saw a shift at the top, with Germany's Nils Ehlers and Clemens Wickler moving up to first place, replacing their previous third-place position. Sweden’s David Åhman and Jonathan Hellvig climbed to second place, while the Brazilian pair of George and André secured third place. Meanwhile, Norway’s Anders Berntsen Mol and Christian Sørum dropped to fourth place in the updated standings. 

Sheikh Joaan arrives in Pylos, Greece, to attend the 144th IOC Session

Pylos: H.E. Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani, Senior Vice President of the Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC) arrived today in Pylos, Greece, to attend the 144th session of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), which is being held from March 19 to 21.  The session will discuss various topics related to the development of the Olympic Movement, in addition to reviewing the agenda items and making the necessary decisions.  The meeting will also witness the election of a new IOC President, succeeding Dr. Thomas Bach, whose term has come to an end.