Qatar’s beach volleyball stars leave for Olympics

Doha: The Qatar national beach volleyball team departed Doha on Saturday, heading to the French capital, Paris, in preparation for their participation in the Olympic Games Paris 2024, from July 26 to August 11. Team Qatar, consisting of the duo Cherif Younousse and Ahmed Tijan, who won the bronze medal at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, are now aiming for another milestone achievement at Paris 2024. Participating in the Olympic Games Paris 2024 will mark Qatar's 3rd consecutive time to feature in the Olympic Games. The Tokyo Olympics bronze winners, Cherif and Ahmed will take on Italians Paolo Nicolai and Samuele Cottafava in their opening Pool A match at the Paris 2024 Games on July 27 to be held at the foot of the iconic Eiffel Tower.

Team Qatar defeat India in Asian Junior Handball Championship

Amman: Qatar's handball team defeated India 50-36, in the match that brought them together on Saturday in the placement rounds of the 18th Asian Men's Junior (U-21) Handball Championship. The tournament is taking place in Amman, Jordan, and will continue until July 25, serving as a qualifier for the 2025 World Championship in Poland. Qatar's player Rayan Dridi was named the best player of the match, showcasing a strong and impressive performance that led to the team's decisive win. The Qatari team will conclude their matches on Tuesday with a face-off against Chinese Taipei. The top four teams will qualify for the 2025 World Championship in Poland. The Qatari national team won the Asian Men's Junior (U-21) Handball Championship five times in 1994, 2010, 2012, 2014 and 2016. 

Team Qatar defeat Hong Kong in Asian Junior Handball Championship

Amman: Qatar's handball team defeated Hong Kong 46/19, in the match that brought them together on Friday in the placement rounds of the 18th Asian Men's Junior (U-21) Handball Championship held in Amman until 25 June. The Qatari team will meet the Indian team on Saturday in the same round, and will conclude their matches by facing Chinese Taipei next Tuesday. The top four teams will qualify for the 2025 World Championship in Poland. The Qatari national team won the Asian Men's Junior (U-21) Handball Championship five times in 1994, 2010, 2012, 2014 and 2016.   

Team Qatar rise to 34th in FIFA World Ranking

Zurich: Qatar’s national team moved up to 34th place in the Men’s World Ranking of the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) issued on Thursday. The team rose from its last ranking by one position as it awaits many notable participations most notably the Asian third-round qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup next September. June and July saw many matches held including three continental championships and friendly matches. The total number of matches played across the globe reached 125, which impacted the Men’s World Ranking. Argentina kept its 1st position in the ranking thanks to its win in the 2024 Copa America. France ranked 2nd after being eliminated from the UEFA Euro 2024 semi-finals. UEFA Euro 2024 champions Spain advanced to 3rd place, England rose to 4th, while Brazil fell to 5th. In the top 50, Turkiye and Venezuela made remarkable progress jumping to 26th (+16) and 37th (+17), respectively. Additionally, Panama rose to 35th (+8), Canada to 40th (+8), and New Zealand returned to the top 100 after a seven-year absence placing 94th (+13).

Qatar athletes look to shine in Paris

Doha: As the countdown begins for the 33rd edition of the Summer Olympics (Paris 2024), scheduled from July 26 to August 11, Team Qatar athletes eagerly await the event, aiming to continue the successes and achievements of Qatari sports. Representing Qatar in this edition of the Olympics are 14 athletes competing in five different sports, all aspiring to deliver top performances and achieve commendable results in the world’s largest sporting event. Athletics holds the most prominent presence for Qatar in this participation, with eight athletes, led by the world champion Mutaz Barshim, who won the silver medal at the London 2012 and Rio 2016 Games, and the gold medal at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. He aims to retain his Olympic gold in what might be his last participation in the games. Alongside him is the hurdler Abderrahman Samba, who won the bronze medal in the 400-meter hurdles at the 2019 World Championships in Doha, and his teammate Bassem Hemeida, who secured his Olympic qualification by winning the gold medal at the 25th Asian Athletics Championships in Bangkok, and Ismail Dawood, who qualified during the international athletics competition in South Africa. The athletics team also features Abubakar Hayder in the 800 meters, who earned his Olympic spot by winning first place in the Spanish Championship, Ammar Ismail in the 400 meters, Saif Mohammed in the pole vault, and Shahad Mohamed in the women’s 400 meters. Qatar will also compete in shooting, represented by Saeed Abusharib, who qualified for Paris 2024 by winning the silver medal in the men’s individual trap event at the Asian Shooting Championships in Changwon, South Korea, and Rashid Saleh Al Athba, who earned his spot by winning the bronze medal in the World Skeet Championships in Osijek, Croatia, and a gold medal at the Asian Championships in South Korea. Weightlifter Fares Ibrahim, who won the gold medal in the 96 kg category at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, returns to compete in Paris 2024, aiming to stand on the podium once again after earning his qualification by winning the silver medal in the 102 kg category at the World Weightlifting Championships held in Saudi Arabia. The Qatari beach volleyball team, consisting of the duo Cherif Younousse and Ahmed Tijan, will make their third consecutive appearance in the Paris 2024 Olympics after qualifying through the Olympic world rankings announced by the International Volleyball Federation, seeking to achieve another milestone following their bronze medal win in Tokyo 2020. Team Qatar also includes swimmer Abdulaziz Al Obaidly, who will compete in the 200-meter breaststroke, aiming to perform admirably and establish his presence among the world’s elite athletes at the Olympic event. Barshim and Shahad have been chosen to carry the national flag at the opening ceremony in Paris.  

Qatar lose to China in Asian Junior Handball Championship

Amman: Qatar's junior handball team lost to China (31-36) on Thursday's match in the 18th Asian Men's Junior (U-21) Handball Championship held in Amman until 25 June. The top four teams of the championship will qualify for the 25th IHF Men's Junior (U-21) Handball World Championship 2025 in Poland. The Qatari team will play their second match in this round on Friday facing Hong Kong. They will then face India on Saturday and are set to conclude their matches next Tuesday against Chinese Taipei. Qatar's national junior handball team won the Asian Men's Junior Handball Championship five times (1994, 2010, 2012, 2014 and 2016). (QNA)