Sheikh Joaan meets with senior sports officials on sidelines of Asian Winter Games

Harbin, China - His Excellency Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani, President of the Qatar Olympic Committee (QOC) , held separate meetings with Mr. Otabek Umarov, Vice President of the Olympic Council of Asia for the Central Asia Region; Mr. Zulfiqar Jala Hamad Zada, Minister of Sports of the Republic of Tajikistan; and Mr. Yerbol Mirza Bosinov, Minister of Sports of the Republic of Kazakhstan. The meetings took place on the sidelines of the 9th Asian Winter Games, currently being held in the city of Harbin, China. The talks centered on strengthening sports cooperation and exploring strategic initiatives to elevate collaboration in the coming period. The meetings were attended by HE Dr. Thani bin Abdulrahman Al Kuwari, Second Vice President of the Qatar Olympic Committee, and HE Mr. Jassim bin Rashid Al Buainain, Secretary-General of the QOC.  

Sheikh Joaan meets with Chinese Minister of Sport

Harbin: The Qatar Olympic Committee (QOC) President H.E. Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani, met today with China’s Minister of Sport and President of the Chinese Olympic Committee Mr. Gao Zhidan, on the sidelines of the 9th Asian Winter Games – Harbin 2025. The discussion focused on strengthening sports cooperation and exploring various areas of mutual interest, including knowledge exchange in the coming phase. The meeting was also attended by the QOC Second Vice President H.E. Dr. Thani bin Abdulrahman Al Kuwari and the QOC Secretary General H.E. Mr. Jassim bin Rashid Al Buenain.  

Sheikh Joaan meets with Team Qatar delegation at the Asian Winter Games

Harbin: The Qatar Olympic Committee (QOC) President H.E. Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani met today with the Qatari delegation competing at the 9th Asian Winter Games – Harbin 2025, which will officially begin tomorrow. During the meeting, H.E. Sheikh Joaan urged team Qatar athletes to give their best and showcase performances that reflect Qatar’s sporting excellence. The meeting was also attended by the QOC Secretary General H.E. Mr. Jassim bin Rashid Al Buenain, President of the Qatar Winter Sports Committee Mr. Rashid Majed Al Sulaiti and members of the Qatar’s administrative delegation at the Games.  

Poland’s Erik Kasimierczyk leads Qatar International Optimist Regatta 2025

Doha:  Polish sailor Erik Kasimierczyk has emerged as the frontrunner at the Qatar International Optimist Regatta 2025, currently underway at Rixos Gulf Hotel Beach. Organized by the Qatar Sailing & Rowing Federation, the competition features 52 young sailors from 12 countries and will continue until Saturday.   After two days of intense racing, Kasimierczyk leads the overall standings with just four points. Qatar’s Tamim Shams sits in sixth place with 21 points, while Emirati sailor Khalifa Al-Rumaithi and Britain’s Edward John West are tied with seven points each, but Al-Rumaithi holds second place thanks to his race win. India’s Shreya Krishna is currently fourth with 13 points, and Emirati sailor Cornelia Bajak rounds out the top five with 16 points.   Day two of the regatta saw thrilling battles on the water, with the third and fourth races taking place. Each race lasted over an hour, pushing the sailors to their limits as they navigated the course in challenging conditions.   Under the regatta's rules, once four races have been completed, each sailor drops their worst result from the overall standings. This scoring system ensures that consistency is rewarded, with the lowest total points determining the rankings.   Qatar’s Tamim Shams delivered a solid performance, finishing sixth in Race 3 and 11th in Race 4, securing his spot in sixth place overall with 21 points.   Other Qatari sailors had mixed results. Yousef Al-Ibrahim is currently 16th with 45 points, followed by Abdulaziz Al-Mahmoud in 19th (49 points) and Ali Al-Buainain in 20th (54 points). Fahd Al-Ibrahim is 24th with 64 points, Khalifa Al-Yafei is 26th (69 points), and Abdullah Al-Buainain is 43rd (122 points).   Hassan Jassim Ali, Head of Sailing at the Qatar Sailing & Rowing Federation, praised the high level of competition so far.   Speaking to the media, he explained that only two races per day were held due to strong winds and unpredictable weather conditions, preventing organizers from running a third race as originally planned.   He also commended Tamim Shams for his impressive performance, noting that his ability to stay among the top sailors reflects his growing skill and potential despite facing highly experienced competitors.   “This regatta is a great opportunity for our young Qatari sailors,” he added. “Competing against top-ranked international athletes at an early age gives them invaluable experience and prepares them for future championships.”   This year’s Qatar International Optimist Regatta has drawn competitors from 12 nations, including Qatar, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Kuwait, Bahrain, Egypt, Libya, Iraq, Turkey, India, Poland, and the United Kingdom.  

Team Qatar lose to Philippines, Kazakhstan in Mixed Doubles' Curling

Harbin, China (QNA) - Qatar lost Wednesday to the Philippines and Kazakhstan in the Mixed Doubles' Curling Round Robin of the 9th Asian Winter Games (Harbin 2025). Qatar's duo Nasser Al Yafei and Mubaraka Salem lost to the Philippines 11-3 before falling 7-4 to Kazakhstan. On Monday, they lost to 8-6 Kyrgyzstan and 14-1 to South Korea. The final group stage match will be against hosts China on Thursday. Qatar will start the men's competitions on Sunday against Saudi Arabia before taking up Japan on the same day. In women's competitions, Qatar will kick off their campaign against the Philippines on Sunday. Harbin 2025 will officially open on Friday and runs through February 14.   

Commercial Bank Qatar Masters 2025 to Kick Off Thursday with 140 Golfers

DOHA, (QNA) - The Commercial Bank Qatar Masters 2025 will kick off Thursday at the Doha Golf Club. This four-day event features a selection of the world’s top-ranked golf players and boasts a prize pool of $2.5 million. The tournament's 28th edition will showcase 140 players vying for the title, including several Arab competitors like Qatari Saleh Al Kaabi, Moroccan Adam Bresnu, Saudi Shergo Kurdi, Joshua Grenville-Wood, and Adrian Otaegui. The Championship's Organizing Committee finalized its preparations for the commencement of official competitions. On Wednesday's morning, the PRO–AM competitions took place, setting the stage for the official Championship start tomorrow at 6:10 AM, featuring first groups that include South Korean MK Kim, French Benjamin Hebert, and South African Deon Germishuys. Tomorrow, Qatar national team player Saleh Al Kaabi will compete alongside his teammate Daniil Sokolov. In other news, the tournament's Organizing Committee has announced that Qatar Duty Free (QDF) will sponsor the event. This tournament is a key stop on the European Tour, featuring a selection of international golfers and showcasing Qatar's outstanding golf facilities, thereby reinforcing the country's status as a global sports and tourism hub. Chief Retail and Hospitality Officer at Qatar Airways Thabet Musleh stated that the airline takes pride in its ongoing support for this international sporting event that unites top talent and represents the essence of unified sport. He noted that Qatar Airways is happy to play a part in this year's edition to promote the championship's legacy alongside its partners and in reinforcing Qatar's status as a worldwide sports and tourism hub, emphasizing that sport has an extraordinary ability to bring people together, which aligns with the Qatar Airways' dedication to delivering unforgettable experiences for all its global customers. Since its inception in 1998, the tournament has gained fame for drawing some of the world's top golf talents, including Rory McIlroy, Justin Rose, Rafael Cabrera Bello, Brendan Grace, and Henrik Stenson, who have vied for the award in prior year.