Team Qatar defeat USA in IHF Beach Handball Global Tour

Brasilia – Qatar’s beach handball team edged out USA counterparts   2-0  on Thursday at  IHF Beach Handball Global Tour, which is hosted by Brazil’s capital city.    This is a second victory for Team Qatar who opened the campaign with a 2-1 win over Argentina and suffered a defeat in the  second game at the hands of Germany 2-0. The IHF Beach Handball Global Tour in Brasilia is bringing  together 16 teams,  who are fighting  for top honors.  

Team Qatar defeat Argentina in World Beach Handball Tour

Brasilia:  Qatar’s beach handball team defeated their Argentine counterparts 2-1 in the first round of the World Beach Handball Tour.  The third season of the event began in Marica, Brazil on Wednesday with defending Tour champions – Brazil’s women and Qatar’s men – two of 12 competing in the stage which ends on Sunday 12 May. The 2023 IHF Beach Handball Global Tour visited Brazil, Tunisia and Poland before the Finals Stage was held in Doha, Qatar in November, with Qatar’s men and Brazil’s women taking the overall titles.  

Stage set for What Gravity Challenge

Doha: On Wednesday, on the eve of the inaugural edition of his brainchild event ‘What Gravity Challenge’, the Qatari high jump icon said: “I woke up this morning and told my wife I’m really excited like it’s the Olympics. That’s how excited I am.” The Olympic champion’s excitement is not just from an athlete’s perspective, but also from being on the other side, the organising part of competition. ‘What Gravity Challenge’ is an initiative of Barshim – which according to the 32-year-old has been in the making for a long time. The competition, which will be held on Thursday at the Katara Amphitheatre from 5:40pm and is organised by Qatar Athletics Federation (QAF), will involve the world’s 12 best high jumpers. The event represents Barshim’s personal expression of gratitude to Qatar, which has supported him throughout his career. “I want to show my gratitude especially to the Qatar Olympic Committee President HE Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad al-Thani. He was the person who gave me the first start when I met him. He wanted me to create something for a lasting legacy. So I’m really thankful to them. And again I’m really happy. Just looking forward to having a wonderful event,” the three-time world champion said. The winner of the innovative event will take home a custom-made trophy crafted by esteemed artist Ahmed al-Bahrani and a prize of US$15,000. Barshim’s best leap of 2.43m came in Brussels in 2014 and in between, the Qatari high jumper has won almost everything possible, barring surpassing the World record (2.45m) of Cuban legend Javier Sotomayor, set 35 years ago in Salamanca, Spain in 1993. Talking about the changes in the last decade, Barshim said: “To be honest, if you look at all these years in between things have changed. In 2013 and 2014, we had top jumpers each clearing 2.40m in literally each meet. You’re not the same person physically anymore. You have to be aware of your injuries, you need to be smart about it. But, for me the goal is always the same, whenever I’m participating I always want to be ready to perform.” Barshim, who is going to take part in the fourth Olympics in July, said the Paris Games is his top priority this year. “I haven’t really started my Olympic preparation yet. I think after this event I will start my preparations. I want to see where I am. Because for me this year the Olympics is the most important,” he said. In-form Hamish Kerr, who defeated Barshim last month to win the Suzhou Diamond League with a clearance of 2.31m is also taking part in the star-studded high jump field. “It is an amazing event to be a part of and outside of a major championship you are not likely to see a more stacked field,” Kerr said on Wednesday. “I come from New Zealand, which is a long way away, but I was in Asia last week. So we decided to come here a bit early and do some sort of nice training. So yeah, it’s been amazing. This is my third time in Doha. I just feel like I’m welcomed by everyone here.” “It is credit to Barshim and his legacy that he has managed to put together such a quality event, which heralds a new era for our sport. Taking what is quite a traditional concept and putting it in a unique setting is a fantastic way to showcase high jump and our unique skill set,” the World Indoor champion added. Ukraine’s Bohdan Bondarenko, who jumped 2.42m in New York in 2014, is also part of the high-quality field along with 11 other of the world’s finest high jumpers which includes a trio of 2.40m plus jumpers and the reigning world and Olympic champions. USA’s World’s silver medalist Juvaughn Harrison Harrison said: “It feels great to be the next generation following the footsteps of Barshim and others, but challenging them at the same time. I’ll try to do the same thing tomorrow. But you know, like I said. I’ve watched those. I admire him and to be able to compete against him is a great pleasure.”  

QOA Wraps 'Psychological Preparation of the Athletes' Training Course

Doha, (QNA) - The Qatar Olympic Academy (QOA) on Thursday wrapped up the 'Psychological Preparation of the Athletes' training course, which started on May, 5 with the participation of over 30 attendees from Qatar and outside. Those trainees came from several sports, administrative and technical disciplines, including players, coaches, administrators, therapists and physical education teachers, in addition to many prominent former local and international athletes. The 'Psychological Preparation of the Athletes' course is considered an important starting point for organizing a number of upcoming courses in the field of sports psychology that are more specialized and in-depth, as it paved the way for students to delve deeper into this field of science to move toward more specialized courses. The training course was delivered by the Deputy Director of Aspire Academy School Dr. Issa Abdullah Al Moslimani who held many positions in this field, whether with sports federations or clubs. Al Moslimani stressed the importance of psychological strength for athletes, indicating that the science of sports training in the modern era depends on scientific foundations that achieve comprehensive growth of the various elements of preparation, whether physical, skillful, tactical, or psychological, to reach the highest sporting levels. (QNA)

QOC holds training course on Art of decision making in institutions

Doha - The Qatar Olympic Committee (QOC) organized a two – day training course under the them “ Art of  decision-making in the institutions”   from 8th to 9th of May at the QOC’s Losail Hall conference. The two day - course was  attended by  the  Assistant Directors of  QOC departments  and Executive Directors of Sport Federations. On day one , Dr. Buthaina Hassan Al-Ansari, the expert of strategic planning and governance of institutions  and course key speaker delivered a detailed presentation on concept of decisions making, types of decisions, when decisions should  be taken, perfect steps to make decisions , how to understand the major factors that can affect the decisions making process and how to assess risks and methods of decision making. On day two , the course key speaker, Dr. Buthaina Hassan Al-Ansari shed lights on the most important obstacles in decision-making process, challenges of decision-making in the institutions and the concept of centralization and decentralization in decision-making. In a post- course statement, Mrs. Maryam Mohammed Al-Kuwari said the true value behind this  course is to empower government sector officials of being  more effective in decision making and problem solving processes.  

Qatar Handball Team to play two friendlies against Bahrain and Egypt

Doha: Qatar handball team will play two friendlies against Bahraini and Egyptian teams in Cairo. The two friendly matches will be held during the international break in which teams prepare for the upcoming events. The Qatari team will play in the first match against Bahrain on Friday, while its second match will be against Egypt on Sunday. Qatar squad for the two matches includes 18 players: Mustafa Heiba, Allaedine Berrached, Abd Al Rahman Tariq, Hamdi Ayed, Mirza Kapic, Mernce Kercho, Nidal Mustafa, Youssef Ali, Bilal Lepenica, Eldar Memisevic, Ameen Zakkar, Amin Quhis, Wajdi Ibrahim, Yassine Sami, Zarko Markovic, Marwan Sassi, Frankis Carol, and Rafael Capote. (QNA)