Younousse & Tijan go past Australia pair

Paris: Qatar’s Cherif Younousse and Ahmed Tijan continue their quest for another medal at the Olympics after steamrolling Australia’s Mark Nicolaidis and Izac Carracher 21-14, 21-18 in Paris on Thursday. The defending bronze medalists thus wrapped up their pool stage with a perfect record. It was straight business for the Qatari duo, who dominated the first set and held the Australians at bay. The Australians attempted to mount a comeback in the second set, staying within two points for the majority, but ultimately had no answer for Qatar red-hot pair. The match was sealed in 40 minutes with a final attacking point by Younousse. Tijan and Younousse converted 30 out of 42 attacks while registering nine digs compared to Australia’s two. In the round of 16, the Qatari pair will play one of the lucky losers in their next match scheduled for August 5.

Joaan bin Hamad chairs coordination meeting of Presidents of GCC National Olympic Committees

Paris: H.E. President of Qatar Olympic Committee (QOC) Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al-Thani chaired a coordination meeting of Their Highnesses and Excellencies the Presidents of the National Olympic Committees of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries. The meeting, which was held on the sidelines of the reception for Team Qatar in the French capital Paris, focused on enhancing the framework for joint sports cooperation within the GCC. The meeting was attended by His Excellency Secretary General of the Qatar Olympic Committee Jassim bin Rashid Al Buenain.

Qatar to take on Australia in Men’s Beach Volleyball Event

Paris: Qatar’s high-flying beach volleyball duo, Cherif Younesse and Ahmed Tijan will take on Australian Olympic debutantes Izac Carracher and Mark Nicolaidis in their third and final Pool A match at the Eiffel Tower beach courts in Paris, today. Brimming with confidence after a thrilling win over the Swedish World No.1 pair of David Ahman and Jonatan Hellvig, Younesse and Tijan have already booked their place in the round of 16 at the 2024 Games this time.  However, the Tokyo Olympics bronze winners will be looking to finish the pool stage on top of their group, with a win over the Australian pair when the two teams face off at 11:00 am Qatar time. Before their memorable 2-1 (15-21, 21-19, 20-18) victory over the top-seeded Swedish pair, Younesse and Tijan had overcome World No.13 Italians Paolo Nicolai and Samuele Cottafava in straight sets (21-19, 21-18) in their opening match on Sunday. After two rounds, Younesse and Tijan are the only unbeaten duo in their group, comfortably making it to the next stage, while Ahman and Hellvig are in the second spot. Nicolai and Cottafava are third, while the Aussies are currently fourth after losing both previous matches. The top two from each pool advance to the Round of 16, along with four lucky losers .

Qatar defeat Oman in GCC Youth Basketball Championship

Kuwait: The Qatari national basketball team defeated Oman 111-57 in the game held on Thursday in the GCC U-18 Basketball Championship.  The event, which is being hosted by Kuwait at the Federation Hall at the Sheikh Saad Al Abdullah Complex in Sabah Al Salem from July 29 to August 2 brings together Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Bahrain and Qatar. The Qatari team will meet their Bahraini team on Friday in the final matches of the championship. The champion and runner-up will qualify for the Asian Cup finals, which will be held in the Jordanian capital, Amman, from September 2 to 9. 

QOC reinforces commitment to Olympic Movement at Team Qatar reception in Paris

Paris - The Qatar Olympic Committee, led by it’s President HE Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani, today welcomed senior members from across the Olympic Family for the Team Qatar reception in the heart of Paris.  Hosted on the sidelines of the Olympic Games Paris 2024, Qatar reinforced its commitment to serving the Olympic Movement and using the power of sport to make a valuable contribution to social development around the world.  The QOC President was joined by Chairperson of Qatar Museums HE Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad Al Thani, and Qatar Foundation Vice Chairperson and CEO HE Sheikha Hind bint Hamad Al Thani in addressing the guests.  In attendance were also representatives of the senior management of the Qatar Olympic Committee, as well as distinguished guests and esteemed dignitaries from the Olympic Movement QOC President HE Sheikh Joaan said: “As we gather in this iconic location, we celebrate not only the outstanding achievements of our athletes but also the shared values and spirit that define the Olympic Games. The Olympic Games are about more than medals and records. They are about the unity of nations, the fostering of friendships, and the promotion of peace through sport. The world's best athletes coming together in peaceful competition reminds us that we are connected by a shared humanity. In these days of competition, we have seen how sport transcends boundaries, breaks down barriers, and builds bridges between people of different cultures and backgrounds. This is a message that is needed in today’s world more than ever.    “We commend the IOC, under the leadership of IOC President Thomas Bach, for ensuring that even in the face of adversity, we stay true to this Olympic spirit. For ensuring that the Olympic Games continues to serve as a source of inspiration and a beacon of hope for the future. IOC Vice President John Coates said, “Your passion for sport and hospitality shines through. Your partnership with the Olympic Refuge Foundation has helped 400,000 displaced young people access safe sport.” Qatar is already working to ensure as many people as possible benefit from the Olympic values. Speaking at the reception, HE Sheikha Hind announced the inclusive sports programme as part of Qatar Foundation’s collaboration with the IOC and Education Above All. “This program aims to support women and girls, people with disabilities, and people from marginalized socio-economic backgrounds through sports and education. It shall support the implementation of sport-for-good community projects in over 10 countries in Asia, the Middle East, and North Africa, benefitting up to 50,000 children and youth, training 5,000 coaches, teachers, and instructors with a far-reaching impact across the world. “Through this new program, we aim to amplify our collective contribution toward the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals by uniting diverse resources and expertise in innovation and education, inclusive community sports programs, digital tools, and funding, in order to tackle global issues effectively and drive sustainable development for a better future.” The reception formalities concluded with the announcement of the first translation from French into Arabic of selected writings by Pierre De Coubertin, the father of the modern Olympic Games, “Textes Choisis: Volume 1”.The book was realized through a collaboration between Qatar Museums, 3-2-1 Qatar Olympic and Sports Museum, Qatar Olympic Committee, and the International Olympic Committee. The book launch was addressed by the President of the Pierre de Coubertin Family Association, Alexandra De Navacelle De Coubertin.

Qatar defeat Saudi Arabia in GCC U-18 Basketball Championship

Kuwait: The Qatari national basketball team defeated Saudi Arabia 86-76 in the game held on Wednesday in the GCC U-18 Basketball Championship.  The event, which is being hosted by Kuwait at the Federation Hall at the Sheikh Saad Al Abdullah Complex in Sabah Al Salem from July 29 to August 2 brings together Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Bahrain and Qatar. The champions and runners-up from the tournament will qualify to the Asian Cup finals scheduled to be held in Amman, Jordan, from September 2 to 9 .