Team Qatar lose to North Macedonia in World Handball Championship

Zagreb: North Macedonia secured a crucial victory over Qatar, defeating the Asian champions 39:34 in a high-scoring encounter. Kiril Lazarov's side kept their quarter-final hopes alive, while Qatar suffered their second consecutive defeat in the main round.   The game started with a strong statement from North Macedonia, who stormed to a 6:2 lead in the opening six minutes. Despite their initial struggles, Qatar, led by their top scorer Frankis Marzo, fought back to level the score at 10:10 in the 14th minute. Marzo delivered a stellar performance, contributing 12 goals, but Qatar's defense faltered as the match wore on.   As fatigue set in, Qatar's defensive cohesion waned, allowing North Macedonia to exploit gaps with relentless attacking plays. Two decisive 3:0 runs in the final 10 minutes of the first half widened the gap, with Qatar enduring a six-minute goal drought. By halftime, the European side led 21:17, having established control of the game.   In the second half, Qatar showed glimpses of recovery, narrowing the deficit to three goals at 23:26. However, the momentum swung back to North Macedonia when Marko Stojkovikj's red card was followed by a red card for Qatar's Amine Guehis. The latter's two-minute suspension proved costly, as the European side capitalized to extend their lead to five goals.   North Macedonia's balanced attack, featuring contributions from 13 of their 14 outfield players, proved too much for Qatar. Filip Kuzmanovski, Nenad Kosteski, and Zharko Peshevki led the charge, while Nikola Mitrevski and Marko Kizikj delivered key moments in goal.   The 39 goals scored by North Macedonia marked the highest tally Qatar has conceded at the 2025 World Championship, hosted across Croatia, Denmark, and Norway. With this victory, North Macedonia celebrated their second win of the tournament, fueled by loud support from the stands, and kept their slim quarter-final hopes alive.   For Qatar, the defeat ended their chances of progressing further. The team remains on zero points in the main round, with their sole victory coming against Kuwait in the preliminary stage.  

Team Qatar wins foil gold medal at the Arab Fencing Championship

Manama: Qatar’s national fencing team secured the gold medal in the team foil event at the Arab Fencing Championship, currently being held in Bahrain and set to conclude next Monday. The Qatari team, comprising Ali Turki, Khalid Aref, and Abdullah Khalifa, clinched the gold after defeating Bahrain 45-30 in the final match. With this victory, Qatar’s medal tally in the championship has risen to three medals: two golds and one silver. Yesterday, the team won the team épée gold through Mohammed Abdulali, Youssef Abdul Tawab, Abdulrahman Al-Jadra, and Ali Al-Khalifi. Additionally, Ali Turki Obeida claimed the silver medal in the men’s individual foil event.  

Team Qatar win two medals at Arab Fencing Championship

Manama: Team Qatar claimed two medals at the ongoing Arab Fencing Championship in Bahrain, which is set to conclude next Monday.   The Qatari epee team earned a gold medal after a thrilling 45-40 victory over Saudi Arabia in the final match. Meanwhile, Ali Turki Awaidah added to Qatar’s medal tally by securing a silver medal in the men’s individual foil event, narrowly missing out on gold after a 7-15 defeat to Bahrain’s Issa Abdul Karim in the final.   The Qatari delegation to the championship is led by Qatar Fencing Federation member Khawla Khalid Jamal.   

Third round of Doha International Tour from Thursday

DOHA - Thrilling action is set to unfold as the third and final round of the Doha International Tour from Thursday at the majestic Al Shaqab equestrian centre, with top riders vying for coveted five-star titles. Over the next three days, competition will peak with high-stakes five-star events offering lucrative prize money and attracting elite riders from around the globe. Thursday’s marquee event will feature the CS15* (1.50m, no jump-off) title, while Friday’s highlight will see riders contest the same event with a jump-off. The prestigious CS15* (1.60m) Grand Prix will conclude this highly successful edition of the Doha International Equestrian Tour. In addition to the five-star competitions, the final round will also feature one-star and three-star events across three days at the Longines indoor and outdoor arenas. This year’s edition has drawn a record number of participants from across the world, with a total prize pool of €1.7m up for grabs. “The high level of competition, quality organization, and strong public attendance were the standout features of the first two rounds of the Doha International Tour 2025. We are now set for another exceptional event this week. “Today, we continue our journey of excellence and leadership in equestrian sports,” said Event Director Mohammed Jaber Al Khayarin following the second round. “The final round will feature the CSI5* competition, which will see more international riders arriving in Doha, promising endless excitement—especially with the increased value of cash prizes on offer,” he added. Action begins at 9:30 am with the CS13* (1.30m) event.  

Qatar Athletics Team embarks on South Africa training camp to prepare for 2025 competitions

Doha: The Qatar Athletics Federation has announced that the national team’s 400m and 400m hurdles sprinters are undergoing an intensive training camp in South Africa as part of their preparations for a busy schedule of continental, regional, and international athletics competitions.   The federation highlighted that the camp will run until the athletes are fully primed to tackle future challenges. This effort aims to uphold Qatar's track record of excellence in athletics and secure podium finishes across all age groups.   Among the athletes training in South Africa is Bassem Hemeida, the reigning Asian champion in the 400m hurdles and gold medalist at the last Asian Championships in Bangkok, Thailand. Joining him are 400m specialists Ammar Ismail and Ashraf Othman, who are also part of the national team’s promising lineup.   In 2025, the Qatar Athletics Federation is focused on achieving new milestones on multiple levels. Key events on the calendar include the Doha Diamond League in May, where the 400m and 400m hurdles will take center stage, the Asian Championships for Men in South Korea in July, and the World Championships in Tokyo in September.   Through comprehensive preparation and the dedication of its talented athletes, Qatar is determined to solidify its status as a powerhouse in global athletics while continuing its tradition of success on the international stage.  

Qatar Fencing Federation gears up for a remarkable Grand Prix Qatar 2025

Doha: The Qatar Fencing Federation is putting the final touches on its preparations to host the 21st edition of the Grand Prix Epee Fencing Championship, set to take place at Aspire from Friday to Sunday. This prestigious event will bring together 440 elite fencers, including 247 men and 193 women, representing 56 nations. Among the participants are athletes from nine Arab countries: Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Egypt, Jordan, Iraq, Lebanon, Morocco, and Tunisia. Team Qatar will compete with ten athletes, featuring six men—Mesh’al Al-Qahtani, Mohammed Khalifa Al-Hazzaa, Mohammed Abdul Ali, Abdulrahman Al-Jadra, Ali Al-Khalif, and Youssef Abdul-Tawab—and four women: Sheikha Jassim, Fatima Dhahi, Fatima Al-Maadid, and Thikrayat Al-Abdullah. A team of 20 referees will officiate the competition, including three from Qatar: Mohammed Basahal, Mohammed Al-Mutairi, and Bashir Shurbaji. The tournament offers a total prize pool of $22,000, with $5,000 awarded to the champion, $3,000 to the runner-up, and $1,500 each to the two athletes who share third place. The action begins on Friday with the men’s preliminary rounds, followed by the Round of 128 and Round of 64. Saturday will see the start of the women’s competition, moving from preliminary rounds into the Round of 64. The championship will conclude on Sunday with men’s matches progressing from the Round of 64 to the quarterfinals, alongside the women’s matches, which will also reach the quarterfinal stage. The evening will feature the semifinals and finals for both men and women, culminating in a medal ceremony to crown the champions. This year’s edition promises fierce competition, with several world-class fencers set to participate. Leading the men’s field are Japan’s Koki Kano, ranked World No. 1, Hungary’s Gergely Siklósi, ranked World No. 2, and Egypt’s Mohamed Elsayed, ranked World No. 4. On the women’s side, the competition includes Italy’s Giulia Rizzi, ranked World No. 3, Hungary’s Eszter Muhari, ranked World No. 4, South Korea’s Sera Song, ranked World No. 6, and Estonia’s Nelli Differt, also ranked World No. 6. With a star-studded lineup and top-tier organization, the Grand Prix Qatar 2025 is set to reaffirm its status as one of the most prestigious events in the international fencing calendar.