Spain and Argentina set for FIP World Championships Qatar 2024 Final Showdown

Doha: The stage is set for a thrilling final showdown at the FIP World Padel Championships Qatar 2024 as Spain and Argentina prepare to battle it out for the coveted title in both the men's and women's events, respectively. Both nations have showcased exceptional skill and dominance throughout the tournament, ensuring their place in the final. The rivalry between Spain and Argentina has been a cornerstone of the sport for years. Both countries boast world-class players and passionate fan bases, making their matches highly anticipated events. This year's championships have been no exception, with both teams delivering impressive performances. In the women's event, Spain claimed an emphatic 2-0 win over Portugal in the semifinals. In the first match of the tie, Spain showcased Gemma Triay and Claudia Fernandez, who also play together on the Premier Padel circuit. Triay/Fernandez beat Fernandes/Castro Vilela 6-1, 6-0. The second and decisive point came from Ale Salazar and the returning Bea Gonzalez, who found the best way to celebrate her return to the court after injury: ‘Ale’ and ‘Bea’ gave up just one game (6-0, 6-1) to Santos/Gaspar. The second semi-final featured a more competitive encounter between Argentina and Italy. Chiara Pappacena and Giulia Sussarello put up a strong fight against Aranzazu Osoro and Julieta Bidahorria but ultimately fell short, with the match concluding at 6-4, 6-4 in favor of Argentina. Delfi Brea and Claudia Jensen then sealed the victory for Argentina with a convincing 6-4, 6-1 win over Carolina Orsi and Giorgia Marchetti, who had previously claimed the gold medal as a pair at the European Games in Krakow. Both Portugal and Italy now have the opportunity to compete for the bronze medal in the match for third and fourth place. For the men's, Spain and Argentina will once again clash in the final, somewhat a repeat of the last championship in 2022, which was won by Argentina. In the semi-finals, Spain defeated Italy 3-0, with the Spanish duo of Juan Lebron and Arturo Coello defeating Italy's Facundo Dominguez and Lorenzo DiGiovanni 6-1, 6-1, while Alejandro Galan/Jon Sanz beat Giulio Grazzioti/Riccardo Sinicropi 6-1, 6-0. Coki Nieto/Miguel Yanguas, on the other hand, walloped Michael Bruno/Aris Patiniotis 6-1,6-1 to march into the finals. For Argentina, it was 2-0 against Portugal. Martín Di Nenno and Franco Stupaczuk combined effectively to beat Portugal's Nuno Deus/Miguel Deus 6-1, 6-7, 6-4; while Agustín Tapia/Federico Chingotto defeated the duo of Diogo Jesus and Vasco Pascoal 6-0, 6-1 to set up the clash against the Argentines. The battle for the third and fourth place will now be between Italy and Portugal, who have had great runs at the six-day tournament, which ends today (Saturday).

Sheikh Joaan Meets US Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC) Chair

Lisbon, (QNA) - HE Senior Vice President of the Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC) and President of the Qatar Olympic Committee (QOC) Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al-Thani met with US Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC) Chair Gene Sykes on the sidelines of the ANOC General Assembly in Cascais, Portugal. The two leaders reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening ties between the QOC and USOPC and highlighted the importance of solidarity and knowledge-sharing to advance the Olympic Movement. They emphasized the value of continued collaboration in areas of mutual interest to further the development of sport and the Olympic ideals. HE Sheikh Joaan and Sykes also reiterated their support for ANOCs mission, stressing the importance of providing National Olympic Committees around the world with the necessary resources to foster growth and sustainability within the global Olympic Movement. This meeting reinforced the shared dedication of the QOC and USOPC to enhancing cooperation and exploring opportunities that support the Olympic Movements progress worldwide. (QNA)  

Qatar International Open Taekwondo Championship begins

Doha: The Qatar International Open Taekwondo Championship will begin at Lusail Arena today, with 1,440 players from 40 countries competing across four categories: cadet, juniors, youth, and adults. The tournament, featuring morning and evening sessions, will run through Saturday with daily awards for winners up for grabs.  Secretary-General of the Qatar Taekwondo, Judo and Karate Federation and Tournament Director Eid al-Muraikhi confirmed full readiness and noted an increase in participants compared to previous years reflects on the championship’s growing popularity. The event grants (G1) category winners 10 classification points, benefiting their international rankings. Al-Muraikhi highlighted the success of the previous tournament, which set a high standard and posed an organisational challenge for this year’s edition. He added Qatar’s experience in hosting major events like the Master Judo, Arab Judo, and World Judo Championships, emphasising ongoing discussions with the International Taekwondo Federation to host global events in Qatar. With over 150 Qatari athletes competing, the tournament reflects strong local engagement, al-Muraikhi said.

Team Qatar line up for 2025 Men’s World Handball Championship

Doha: The Qatar national handball team wrapped up its intensive training camp in Serbia yesterday as part of their preparations for the 29th Men’s World Handball Championship, which will be held in Croatia, Denmark, and Norway from January 14 to February 2, 2025. Qatar will compete in Group C, alongside powerhouse teams France, Austria, and Kuwait. Team Qatar will kick off their campaign against France on January 14, followed by a match against Austria on January 16, and will conclude the group stage against Kuwait on January 18. This upcoming championship marks Qatar’s tenth participation in the tournament’s history, following appearances in Portugal 2003, Tunisia 2005, Germany 2007, Spain 2013, Qatar 2015, France 2017, Germany and Denmark 2019, Egypt 2021, and Poland and Sweden 2023.  Qatar’s best performance came during the 2015 championship, where the team achieved a historic runner-up finish on home soil.

Sheikh Joaan Attends ANOC General Assembly Meeting

Cascais, Portugal – His Excellency Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani, Senior Vice President of the Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC) and President of the Qatar Olympic Committee (QOC), attended the ANOC 27th General Assembly meeting held in Cascais, Portugal on Wednesday. The meeting was attended by Dr. Robin Mitchell, President of ANOC, Dr. Thomas Bach, President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), and representatives from more than 200 National Olympic Committees, as well as officials from the IOC, international sports federations, and the Organising Committees of the Olympic Games. The assembly reviewed reports on ANOC’s programs and activities, along with a presentation on its future plans. Additionally, it discussed reports concerning the recent Paris 2024 Olympics and upcoming Olympic Games. On the sidelines of the ANOC General Assembly, and during the ANOC Awards Ceremony, H.E. Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani presented the award for Best Men’s Team at the Paris 2024 Olympics to the Denmark Handball Team.  

Sheikh Joaan attends ANOC Executive Council Meeting

Cascais –His Excellency Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani, Senior Vice President of the Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC) and President of the Qatar Olympic Committee (QOC), attended  the 90th ANOC Executive Council meeting held in Cascais, Portugal on Tuesday. The meeting, chaired by Dr. Robin Mitchell, President of the ANOC, was attended by Dr. Thomas Bach, President of the International Olympic Committee.  During the meeting, discussions focused on some key topics including the ANOC strategic plan and the reports of the continental federations and the ANOC standing committees on their latest programs and initiatives.