Sheikh Joaan Attends the Ceremony of Handing Over the World Aquatics Championships Flag to Singapore

Doha- His Excellency Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani, President of the Qatar Olympic Committee and Chairman of the Organizing Committee of the World Aquatics Championships - Doha 2024, which concluded today at Aspire Dome, attended the ceremony of handing over the championships flag to Singapore, which will host the next edition in 2025. His Excellency Mr. Jassim bin Rashid Al Buainain, Secretary General of the Qatar Olympic Committee and Vice Chairman of the Organizing Committee of the World Aquatics Championships - Doha 2024, handed over the championship flag to Dr. Hussain Al Musallam, President of the International Swimming Federation, who in turn handed it over to the co-chairman of the organizing committee of the Singapore 2025 championships.  

Athletes praise World Aquatics Championships – Doha 2024 as historic event comes to a close

DOHA - The World Aquatics Championships – Doha 2024 drew to a close today following two weeks of exhilarating competition as athletes praised the record-breaking event held in Qatar for the first time. Across 17 days of competition in six aquatic sports, more than 2,300 athletes from a record 204 countries and a refugee team competed at the Aspire Dome, Hamad Aquatic Centre and the Old Doha Port. The Championships reinforced Doha’s position as a world-leading host of outstanding sports events and is set to leave a lasting legacy for aquatics in Qatar and beyond. Athletes from more than 30 different countries won medals with China leading the medals table as the aquatics world united in Doha - the first city in the region to host the prestigious tournament. Competitors from across the six aquatic sports commented positively on their experience, highlighting the facilities which allowed them to perform to their best. Katie Shortman, who won silver for Great Britain in artistic swimming, said: “We just want to say that we love Qatar and have loved being here. The sports facilities are incredible, and it is wonderful to compete here.” Canadian swimmer and medallist Ingrid Wilm added: “It’s a great experience. You can tell that Doha put a lot of work into this. It’s pretty incredible to be swimming here and see all they’ve done. I especially love having two options for outdoor or indoor pool warm-up.” The high diving at the Old Doha Port proved popular with packed stands for the men’s and women’s competition, and four-time Australian world champion Rhiannan Iffland was effervescent in her praise. “It’s not often that we have a place as comfortable as this to dive with all the platforms and everything. It’s really been a fabulous location,” she said. World Aquatics President Husain Al Musallam and Singapore 2025 Co-Chair Mark Chay attended a handover ceremony alongside His Excellency, Vice Chairperson of the Organising Committee of Doha 2024, Jassim bin Rashid Al Buainain, and Director General, Khaleel Al Jaber, ahead of the final swimming session, where the power of peaceful competition was emphasised. Jassim bin Rashid Al Buainain thanked the athletes for their performances and assured them that they have helped ensure that a lasting legacy will be left in the region. Speaking at the handover ceremony, he said: “Since Doha has won the host rights of the World Aquatic Championships – Doha 2024, the Local Organizing Committee in cooperation with key sectors of the country joined efforts to organize a successful and memorable event at all levels. This Championship has proved that sport is a significant factor of unity and peace, and also showed us a humanitarian message when we saw refugee team athletes were part of the event. This Championship has mixed between competition and noble sportsmanship, where everyone spoke the language of unity, solidarity, and synergy in way of Olympic Charter. World Aquatics President Husain Al Musallam said: “Doha has been an outstanding home for our athletes and our aquatics family. The venues are absolutely superb. Our athletes have loved competing here, and I know that they would want me to give a very big thank you to all the organizers under the leadership of H.E. Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani for creating this magnificent aquatics palace. “So much hard work is necessary to stage an event like this. I will always be grateful to every person here in Doha who has helped to turn all the plans into a reality. This is the first time that the World Aquatics Championships have been held in the Middle East, and I could not be more proud of the success. Qatar, thank you for showing the world once again that you are a remarkable destination for hosting major events.”  

Croatia clinch third water polo world title

Doha: Croatia won their third water polo world championship crown, downing Italy in a thrilling penalty shootout at the Doha 2024 World Aquatics Championships after the match was closed at 11-11. Croatia went 4-2 in the penalties for a 15-13 victory.  Europeans champion Spain beat Doha sensation France 14-10 in the battle for bronze.  On the other hand, Ukraine sprinter Vladyslav Bukhov is the new fastest man in the pool after outracing previous world champions Cameron McEvoy and Benjamin Proud in the men’s 50m freestyle while Sarah Sjostrom extended her 50m butterfly reign to a record sixth title in succession. With six golds up for grabs in the evening programme, American Claire Curzan completed a rare backstroke treble by winning the 200m, while Italian distance queen Simona Quadarella took the 800m freestyle gold in a thriller. Bukhov stormed home in 21.44 seconds to pip Australian favourite McEvoy by 0.01 seconds and win his first world title for Ukraine. McEvoy, who took a bonus 50m butterfly bronze in Doha, had his slowest swim in the freestyle final after a sizzling 21.13 in the heats and 21.23 in the semi-finals. “Mixed emotions,” said the 29-year-old, who has revived his career over the past year with a scaled-back training regime. “Of course you want to get the gold medal ... Regardless of missing the gold by 0.01, I can’t look back at where I’ve come from and be disappointed with that.” The evergreen Sjostrom ignited the night with her win in the non-Olympic 50m butterfly, producing a scintillating swim of 24.63 seconds, only two-tenths of a second off her world record (24.43) and the third fastest ever. Thrashing French runnerup Melanie Henique by nearly a second, Sjostrom became the second swimmer to win six consecutive world titles, with American great Katie Ledecky the first in the 800m freestyle at Fukuoka last year. She also extended her record world, individual medals haul to 22, and could add another when she defends her 50m freestyle title as top seed on Sunday. “That’s amazing,” said the 30-year-old. “I’m just enjoying it ... I’m very excited for the rest of the year and also getting married this year, so it’s going to be exciting.” Seasoned Egyptian Farida Osman took bronze, her third world medal and first in nearly five years. Quadarella-Gose clash Hampered by an untimely illness, Curzan narrowly missed out on the U.S. team to Fukuoka last year but has filled her boots in Doha in the absence of the biggest names in backstroke. Having already wrapped up the 50 and 100 titles, the 19-year-old smashed her personal best to win the 200m in 2:05.77, more than a second clear of Australia’s Jaclyn Barclay. Curzan became the second swimmer to sweep the women’s backstroke events, following Australian Kaylee McKeown last year at Fukuoka. The 19-year-old Virginia University swimmer now has six medals from Doha, earning $75,000 alone for the individual ones. “I don’t think I could have scripted a better meet,” she told Reuters. “Definitely (having) a shopping trip. I’ve been jealous of all my friends’ wardrobes at college.” Ledecky gave up her 800m title by skipping Doha but the crowd was treated to a thrilling battle between Quadarella and Isabel Gose. The duo swapped the lead repeatedly in the final lap before Quadarella touched in 8:17.44, 0.09 seconds ahead of German Gose. Like Curzan, 19-year-old Ribeiro has capitalised on big names skipping Doha. Having won the 50m butterfly, he clocked 51.17 to win the 100m, edging Austria’s silver-winning Simon Bucher. Veteran South African Chad le Clos was fifth. A young Chinese team, spearheaded by 100m freestyle world record holder Pan Zhanle, rounded off the night by winning the mixed freestyle relay in 3:21.18 ahead of Australia and third-placed United States. Defending champion Ahmed Hafnaoui crashed out of the men’s 1,500m freestyle heats earlier on Saturday, having also missed the 400m and 800m finals. Sunday’s 1,500m final, nonetheless, promises to be tight, with only a few seconds separating the top qualifiers led by German Florian Wellbrock, the Olympic bronze medallist, who clocked 14:48.43.  

Swiatek holds off Rybakina for third straight Qatar title

Doha: World number one Iga Swiatek won the Qatar TotalEnergies Open for the third year in a row on Saturday after beating Elena Rybakina 7-6 (10/8), 6-2 in the final. Swiatek is the first player to win three straight titles at the same WTA event since Serena Williams completed a Miami Open hat-trick from 2013-15. “You don’t even know hard it was not to think about it,” said Swiatek, whose record now stands at now 13-1 in Doha since her 2020 debut. “I came here and was pretty stressed because I felt the expectations. I wanted to do everything step by step like I always do. I’m really happy. I’m really proud of myself.” Swiatek claimed her 18th career singles title, and her first of the 2024 season. Her only defeat in the last 23 matches was to Czech teen Linda Noskova in the Australian Open third round. Rybakina fell short in her bid for a third title of the year. The Kazakh had lifted the trophy last week in Abu Dhabi after winning in Brisbane at the start of January. “I fought till the end,” said Rybakina, who defeated Swiatek in all three meetings last year. “Congratulations to Iga for a great week.” Swiatek, who received a walkover Friday when Karolina Pliskova withdrew with a lower back injury, entered the final having won her last 21 sets at the tournament. However, she made a dreadful start and fell a double break behind at 1-4 against an in-form Rybakina, on an eight-match winning streak since an early exit at the Australian Open. The third-seeded Rybakina required a medical timeout after accidentally cutting her leg with her racquet while serving, the brief stoppage stalling her momentum. The Pole broke twice in succession to bring the set back on serve, but it looked as if Rybakina would snatch it when she won a lengthy 11th game to go 6-5 up with her service game to come. Swiatek rallied once more to force a tie-break but failed to take two set points before having to save one herself. After another missed opportunity, the top seed closed out a 90-minute opening set at the fourth time of asking. She saved two set points early in the second set before putting her foot down to sweep into a 3-1 lead. A second break of Rybakina in the seventh game left Swiatek on the cusp of victory, which she wrapped up in two hours and 19 minutes.  

Abdulrahman Saeed wins 1500m silver medal at Asian Indoor Athletics Championships

Tehran: Qatar's Abdulrahman Saeed claimed the silver medal of 1500m event at the 2024 Asian Indoor Athletics Championships on Saturday.  The tournament is held in Tehran, Iran until February 19.  Team Qatar squad includes; Femi Ogunode, Tosin Ogunode, Saeed Othman Zamzoun, Abubaker Haydar, Yasser Salem, Seif Abdessalem Hemeida and Abdulrahman Saeed. 

Qatar defeat Central African Republic in Friendly Basketball Tournament

Doha: Qatar basketball team secured a well-deserved 74-71 victory over Central Africa in their second match at the Qatar International Friendly Basketball Tournament yesterday. The four-day tournament is being held at Lusail Arena with the participation of six teams including Qatar, Bahrain, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Central African Republic and Jordan.