Qatar to take on India in crucial FIBA U16 Asian C’ship clash

DOHA - Qatar will take on India on Thursday in the crucial quarter-final classification match of the seventh edition of FIBA Asian Under-16 Basketball Championship at the Al Gharafa Hall at 5pm. Qatar secured their place in this match after finishing third in their group, with Japan and Iran taking the top two spots and Saudi Arabia coming in fourth. In their opening group match, Qatar scored a score of 91-82 win over Saudi Arabia. However, they faced defeat in the second round Japan (68-93), and in the third round against Iran, the hosts won 86-65. The tournament features the participation of 16 teams, divided into four groups. Qatar are in Group B alongside Iran, Japan, and Saudi Arabia. Group A consists of Australia (the defending champions), India, Lebanon, and Sri Lanka, while Group C includes New Zealand, Korea, South Bahrain, and Jordan. Group D comprises the Philippines, China, Malaysia, and Kazakhstan. The Asian Championship serves as a qualifying stage for the U-17 World Championship, which will be hosted by Turkey from June 29 to July 7, 2024. The top four finishers in the Asian Championship will directly qualify for the Junior World Cup in Turkey. So far, Egypt, Guinea, Spain, Italy, Lithuania, France, Germany, Argentina, the United States, Canada, Puerto Rico, and the host country Turkey have secured their spots.

Beach Volleyball team off to a flaying start at Asian Games

Hangzhou -  Qatar’s top beach volleyball duo of Cherif Younousse and Ahmed Tijan started their title defence at the Asian Games in style, blanking Indonesian counterparts in their opening game in Hangzhou, China  on Wednesday . The World No.3 Qatari pair displayed a dominating performance against Danangsyah Pribadi and Sofyan Rachman Efendi winning their first Pool B match with scores of 21-12, 21-18.  The Jakarta-Palembang 2018 Asian Games gold medalists will now take on Philippines’ Jaron Requinton and Alnakran Abdilla, who lost to the same Indonesian pair on Tuesday.  

Japan impress in opener against Qatar

HANGZHOU - Japan began their bid to win the Asian Games men's football gold medal for a second time with a 3-1 win over Qatar in Group D on Wednesday. The win almost surely assures Japan a place in the Round of 16 with Palestine completing the three-team group. Japan, who won their only gold medal in the 2010 edition, took the lead through Teppei Yachida as early as the second minute.  Kotaro Uchino doubled their advantage in the 25th minute with Abdulla Alsulaiti giving Qatar a glimmer of hope when he narrowed the deficit in the 79th minute. Taichi Yamasaki, however, confirmed Japan's win with his 88th minute effort.  Qatar will look to bounce back when they Palestine on Friday.

Doha 2024 unveils playful World Aquatics Championship mascots

Doha: Doha 2024 today announced ‘Nahim’, a playful Qatari whale shark, and ‘Mayfara’ a walking, talking, smiling coral, as the welcoming and fun-loving mascots of the World Aquatics Championships taking place in Doha from February 2-18, 2024. Nahim and Mayfara are intimately tied to Qatar’s heritage and represent the inclusivity of the World Aquatics Championships and its commitment to promoting sustainability. The whale shark is the world’s biggest fish and commonly found in the safety of Qatari waters. The gentle giant, Nahim, a funny, friendly, and fun character that will be on hand to entertain the crowds and ensure everyone is made to feel welcome in Doha. Mayfara, reflects the vibrancy and diversity of the coral ecosystem with a family of clownfish living in her fringe anemone and a laid-back starfish on her forehead. A great team player, Mayfara will raise awareness about the importance of protecting our oceans and help to light up the World Aquatics Championships, Doha 2024. Director of Marketing and Communications, Opening and Closing Ceremonies Committee at the World Aquatics Championships – Doha 2024 Sheikha Asma bint Thani Al Thani, said: “We are excited to introduce Nahim and Mayfara as the official mascots of the World Aquatics Championships, Doha 2024. Together, they embody our passion for aquatic sports and our commitment to ensuring that Doha 2024 is an unforgettable celebration for all. We want everyone visiting Doha to have an exceptional time; from watching the world’s best athletes compete, to experiencing Qatar’s wealth of history, culture and entertainment." “Nahim and Mayfara will engage and entertain thousands of athletes and fans from more than 190 countries in attendance of the World Aquatics Championships, Doha 2024. But they will also have an important role to play in promoting the importance of sustainable action. Whale sharks and coral reefs are integral to the health of Qatar’s waters and are a reminder that it is only through working together that we can bring about meaningful change.” The Aspire Dome, the Old Doha Port and the Hamad Aquatics Centre are the three venues to host the World Aquatics Championships, Doha 2024. The flagship event will be taking place in Doha for the very first time after having successfully hosted multiple World Aquatics events over recent years, including the 12th FINA World Swimming Championships (25m) 2014, nine editions of the FINA Swimming World Cup, four FINA Marathon Swim World Series events and a FINA Diving World Series event in 2009.  

Qatar beach volleyball duo win Asian Games opener

Hangzhou: Beach volleyball duo Mahmoud Essam and Abdullah Nassim got Qatar’s Hangzhou Asian Games campaign rolling with a 2-0 victory over South Korea yesterday. Beach volleyball, football and volleyball events kicked off yesterday in Hangzhou, but the multi-sport event proper will begin from September 23, with  the  opening  ceremony  also  scheduled the same day.  Yesterday,  Essam  and  Naseem  were clinical as they eased past their South   Korea   opponents   in   their   opening group fixtures. The duo are slated  to  face  teams  from  Iran  and  Macau next. Meanwhile, Qatar’s top beach volleyball pair Ahmed Tijan and Cherif Younousse will begin their defense of the gold medal today, as they take on the Indonesia pair. Tijan and Younousse are third in the world rankings with 6,580 points, and   will   fancy   their   chances   of   retaining the gold they won in 2018 in Jakarta  

Schools Olympic Program new season to begin on September 25

DOHA -  The organizing committee of the School Olympic Program will launch the 17th edition of the program on Monday, September 25, with the participation of large numbers of public and private school students. This was announced during a press conference held at the headquarters of the Qatar Olympic Committee and attended by the chairman and members of the Organizing Committee. It also witnessed the signing of a cooperation agreement between the Organizing Committee of the School Olympic Program and the Qatar Foundation, through which the two parties aim to coordinate efforts and increase the number of program members from various educational institutions in the State of Qatar. HE Chairman of the Organizing Committee of the Olympic Program Sheikh Khalifa bin Khalid Al-Thani explained that the program was launched at the end of the 2006 Doha Asian Games, and that coordination with the Olympic Committee continues to make the program a success and discover talents that will support the various teams during the 2030 Doha Asian Games. During the press conference, Sheikh Khalifa noted the role of the Qatar Olympic Committee, headed by HE Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al-Thani, in supporting and making the School Olympic Program a success, adding the program has become one of the important pillars for discovering talented people in the country as well as all partners in the program. The program this year, he said, will witness an increase in the number of competitions to become 19 sports instead of 17 in the last edition, as cricket and hockey will be added, in addition to enhancing girls' competitions to be at the same level as boys, as part of the talented project to refine and follow up on the talents who stand out in the School Olympic Program. The Chairman of the Organizing Committee for the Olympic Program revealed that the program's outputs last season included between 300 and 350 talented students, and between 280 and 300 talents at the girls' level. Cooperation with the Collegiate Sports Federation aims to continue the journey in adopting talents after completing secondary school, the Chairman of the Organizing Committee of the Olympic Program said, noting the role of the Ministry of Education and Higher Education, the Aspire Zone Foundation, and the Qatar Foundation and their fruitful cooperation aimed at making the School Olympic Program a success. Sheikh Khalifa revealed the signing of a cooperation agreement between the Olympic Committee and the Qatar Foundation, through which the Foundation will be a partner in the program during the coming period.