H.E. Sheikh Joaan Inspects Preparations for World Aquatics Championships

H.E. Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani, President of the Qatar Olympic Committee and Chairman of the Organizing Committee for the World Aquatics Championships - Doha 2024, visited Aspire Dome today to review preparations for the upcoming global event, which will be held from February 2 to 18. During the visit, Sheikh Joaan inspected competition venues and related facilities at Aspire Dome that will be utilized for the World Championships. He also met with the directors of the local organizing committees   to discuss progress and final preparations for the event. H.E. Sheikh Joaan was accompanied on his visit by H.E. Jassim bin Rashid Al Buainain, Secretary-General of the Qatar Olympic Committee and Vice Chairman of the Local Organizing Committee for the World Aquatics Championships - Doha 2024. The World Aquatics Championships, which will be held for the first time in the Middle East, will feature more than 2,600 athletes from 197 countries competing in six sports: swimming, diving, water polo, artistic swimming, open water swimming, and high diving.  

Team Qatar to face Kuwait in Asian Men’s Handball Championship Semifinals

MANAMA -  Team Qatar will lock horns against Kuwait  on  Tuesday  in the semifinals game  of the 21st Asian Men’s Handball Championship 2023 , which is running until January 25 in Bahrain’s capital city of Manama. Team Qatar  have already booked their  spot  in 2025 World Championship to be held in Croatia, Denmark and Norway for the tenth time their history.  In Tuesday’s semifinals game, Team Qatar aspire to step closer to the final with effort to  extend  their  remarkable  legacy, having clinched the Asian title in the last five editions  (2014,  2016,  2018,  2020,  and  2022).

Team Qatar defeat China in AFC Asian Cup

Doha: Hassan al-Haydos’ goal-of-the-tournament contender earned Qatar a 1-0 win over China in their final Group A clash of the AFC Asian Cup at Khalifa International Stadium on Monday as the hosts all-but eliminated Aleksandar Jankovic’s side from the competition. The Qatari captain came off the bench to smash a spectacular volley from 20 yards past the helpless Yan Junling in the 66th minute and maintain the much-changed defending champions’ perfect start to the campaign and stretch their winning run to 10 matches. Jankovic’s side needed a win to be certain of advancing to the last 16 but, after failing to find the back of the net in their opening games against Tajikistan and Lebanon, the Chinese once again misfired in attack with their fate now out of their hands. Qatar coach Marquez Lopez described Haydos’s rocket as the ‘best goal in the tournament’ and the veteran skipper said he was proud of how the second string players stepped up. “Twenty-six players have played in the three matches and given a spectacular performance. The three points were very important for our morale,” al-Haydos said. “We have a game in the last 16, we have finished with full marks and now we will focus on the next round.” Qatar started with the tournament’s joint-leading scorer Akram Afif on the bench alongside the 2019 Asian Cup Golden Boot winner Almoez Ali and al-Haydos as Lopez made 10 changes to the team that started the 1-0 win over Tajikistan. The Chinese, meanwhile, left Wu Lei on the sidelines with Wei Shihao making his first start alongside captain Wu Xi and Lin Liangming as Dai Wai-tsun and Xu Xin were also dropped to the bench. While Boualem Khoukhi sent an early header wide of the Chinese goal, it was Jankovic’s team who cut through the home defence in the seventh minute, narrowly failing to take the lead after Lin Liangming released Zhang Yuning and his cutback was thumped wide by Wei. Zhang had an effort blocked by Khoukhi as China made their attacking intentions clear early in the game, although the Qataris presented a threat at the other end despite their wholesale changes, with Abdulaziz Hatem’s curling strike clearing the bar. Wei almost opened the scoring nine minutes before halftime when his close range effort was brilliantly blocked by Saad al-Sheeb’s left-hand save after the Wuhan Three Towns striker had seen Wu’s scuffed shot land at his feet. Khalid Muneer’s dipping attempt dropped over the crossbar while Chinese strike duo Zhang Yuning and Wei both steered headers off target in the final exchanges of the opening 45 minutes. Muneer threatened again early in the second period but, with the game at risk of petering out, Lopes introduced Afif and al-Haydos from the bench and within moments the pair combined in spectacular fashion. Afif’s perfectly flighted corner found al-Haydos unmarked on the edge of the penalty area and the veteran midfielder drove his first-time right-foot strike home at an unstoppable rate to secure Qatar’s third win in a row.

Von Eckermann wins 4-star Grand Prix at Doha Tour second leg

DOHA - World No. 1 showjumper Henrik Von Eckermann won the feature CSI4* Grand Prix-Jump Off (1.55m) event of Week 2 of Doha International Tour at Al Shaqab’s magnificent Longines Outdoor Arena on Saturday.  Eckermann riding bay mare Glamour Girl topped the jump-off with a flawless 32.80secs ride to win a prize of Euros 50,000. The Swede finished ahead of Frenchman Simon Delestre on black gelding Dexter Fontenis Z (33.72secs) while Austrian Gerfied Puck on chestnut stallion Equitron Naxcel V ended up as third on the podium (34.72secs). Thailand’s Janakabhorn Karunayadhaj, who was on top before the jump-off, ended up as being fourth with chestnut mare Maxwin Kinmar Agalux clocking 37.29secs. The Grand Prix champions were honoured by Hamad bin Abdulrahman al-Attiyah, President of the Asian Equestrian Federation. Earlier, the CSI2* Grand Prix was won by Jordan’s Ibarhim Hani Bisharat astride Harvard. He topped the jump off flawlessly in 34.55secs. Australia’s Gerfried Puck on Idiaal Special H.J. was second (35.69secs) while Qatar’s Khalid Mohamed AS al-Emadi was a close third riding Chikita O (36.01secs). The National Competition (1.00m) was won by Hadi Nasser al-Shahwani on Al Dafna (39.44secs), ahead of Suhaim Hamad al-Yafei on Calydor (39.93secs) while Iman Arbuckle Saoud on Godete (42.15secs) claimed the third podium spot. The third and final leg of Doha Tour will be held from January 25-27.  

Team Qatar aim to keep up winning streak

Doha: China’s head coach Aleksandar Jankovic said it was a “privilege” that his team have their AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023 fate in their own hands as they go into their final Group A meeting with hosts Qatar on Monday knowing a win will take them into the knockout rounds. Draws against Tajikistan and Lebanon mean a win will guarantee the two-times AFC Asian Cup runners-up a place in the last 16 while a draw could also take Jankovic’s side through to the next phase of the competition. “So many times you do everything, you play well and you do well but you don’t depend on yourself, you have to listen and see what’s happen all around,” he said. “It’s a privilege before the last game of the group stage that everything depends on you. It’s a privilege for a sportsman that he can decide his own destiny and that’s a clear message. And that’s why I say it’s a privilege because we depend on ourselves.” Jankovic’s team will take on a Qatari side that has impressed so far in the competition, winning both of their first two games to not only qualify for the Round of 16 but also seal top spot in the group with one match remaining. As a result, the prospect has increased that coach Marquez Lopez will rotate his squad but Jankovic insisted he will not focus on the identity of the players in the home team. “I cannot have an impact on the line-up of Qatar, so I’m not concerned about this because it is over my head,” he said. “I can do nothing to know which kind of line-up they will have and which kind of players they will use, it’s up to them. “I will prepare the game, the way of playing will not change. I am focused on ourselves, on our way of playing, how to defend, how to attack, exploring spaces and weaknesses that every team has, Qatar also, and how to win the game. “It’s very simple: it’s 11 v 11 on the field, 90 minutes, win the game to go through don’t look around, don’t follow other results, don’t look at other groups, don’t look at the other game. It’s very, very simple.” Lopez admitted he will make changes to the team that comfortably won their opening two games, but the Spaniard stressed he did not expect the performance level of his side to diminish. “We have great respect for the competition and for this cup,” he said. “We’re going to enter this game fully aware that we should win, but we have to note that we should also do what’s convenient for us, so we will use the right players. “That doesn’t mean we’re going to amend the formation or use less effective players. We have a roster of 26 players and they have a high level of performance. “We will make some changes, but our main purpose will be to win with the players who will play. “A game in a championship such as the Asian Cup is big motivation for any player, to go out and win and put in an excellent performance. “We know there will be 40,000 or 50,000 Qatari fans wanting to enjoy their team winning. “It will not be a walk in the park. We will be there to compete and play respectfully against our rival and to give the best image to the fans of their team.”  

Team Qatar hold Japan to draw in Asian Men’s Handball Championship

Manama: Team Qatar played Japan to a 28-28 draw to lead their group at the main round of the Asian Men’s Handball Championship in Manama, Bahrain on Sunday.  With their second victory over Iran 27-23 earlier on Saturday, Team Qatar sealed their ticket to the semifinals and to the 2025 World Championship to be held in Croatia, Denmark and Norway. In the semifinals, Team Qatar will take on Kuwait while Japan face hosts Bahrain.  Team Qatar are looking  to  extend  their  remarkable  legacy, having clinched the Asian title in the last five editions  (2014,  2016,  2018,  2020,  and  2022).