Ildio Vale appointed Qatar U-23 coach

Doha: Ildio Vale was named the new Qatar U-23 head coach on Wednesday after signing a contract with Mansoor Al Ansari, General-Secretary of the Qatar Football Association (QFA), at the Al Bidda Tower. Vale’s primary objective will be to lead hosts Qatar in the AFC U-23 Asian Cup Qatar 2024, which will take place from April 15 to May 3, 2024. His first assignment, though, will be to lead his squad in the qualifying group. Group B will see 2020 winners Korea Republic, Myanmar, Kyrgyz Republic, and Vietnam alongside Qatar from September 4 to 12 later this year. Qatar will play in the Qualifiers for exposure with their matches classified as inconsequential friendlies. Al Annabi will also compete in the football tournament of the Asian Games 2023 in Hangzhou, in which they have been grouped alongside Japan and Palestine. The Asian Games football tournament will begin on September 19, just before the Games’ official start on September 23. On October 7, the second-to-last day of the Games, the final will take place. A vastly experienced coach, Vale, has won a total of 27 titles with junior squads at Portuguese giants F.C Porto. He has also served as an assistant coach of the main squad. He also managed FC Porto B, the reserve team of Porto, between 2000 and 2004. In 2006, he joined the Portuguese Football Federation, where and played a key roleduring one of the Iberian nation’s most successful eras.

Qatar Basketball Federation unveils new head coach Skourtopoulus

Doha: The Qatar Basketball Federation (QBF) on Tuesday unveiled the national team’s new head coach Athanasios Skourtopoulus of Greece at a press conference at the federation’s headquarters in the presence of QBF Secretary-General Saadoun Sabah Al Kuwari and Director of National Teams Yassin Ismail and Qatar team’s fitness coach Nathaniel Alkidos. Saadoun Al Kuwari expressed his happiness on QBF’s association with coach Skourtopoulus to train the Qatar basketball team. Skourtopoulus succeeds Serbian coach Miodrag Perisic. Al Kuwari while welcoming the new coach said, Skourtopoulus has a distinguished track record as a coach and has previously trained the Greek national team and many Greek clubs and is a big name in the world of coaching in Europe. Al Kuwari added that the Qatar national team has many important continental competitions coming ahead including the 2027 World Cup which will be hosted in Doha. For his part, Yassin Ismail praised the QBF, headed by Mohammed bin Saad Al Mughaiseeb, in assigning the national team with a distinguished coach who is considered as one of the best. The director of the national teams also emphasized that the strategy of the federation is to mix youth and experience, especially since the federation’s plan is to form a competitive team for the future. Thanking the welcome, Skourtopoulus said he did not hesitate even for a single moment in accepting the offer to train the national basketball team and stressed that he has a lot of information about Qatari basketball through friends and coaches who work in Doha. The coach said that he knows very well that the national team is going through a tough stage at the present time and that he seeks to prepare players psychologically and physically. He said that his task will not be easy, especially since the current stage is a period of replacement and renewal in the ranks of the national team but the young players will be of great importance in the near future. Fitness coach Alkidos said he was doing his best to raise the physical level of the players, expressing his happiness at joining the Qatari basketball family, which is preparing to host the World Cup in 2027 for the first time in the history of the Middle East. Qatar national team for 42nd Willam Jones Cup 2023 The Qatar basketball team will leave on Wednesday for Chinese Taipei to participate in the 42nd Willam Jones Cup 2023 for men to be held from August 12 to 20 with the participation of teams that will participate in the 19th edition of the FIBA World Cup which will be held in Indonesia, Japan and the Philippines from August 25 to September 10. At the 42nd Willam Jones Cup 2023, the Al Annabi are scheduled to meet USA on August 12, Iran (August 13), Chinese Taipei A (August 14), Philippines (August 15), UAE (August 16), Chinese Taipei B (August 17), South Korea (August 18), and Japan on August 20th.

Team Qatar to participate in Asian Men's Volleyball Championship

Doha: Team Qatar will take on India at the 2023 Asian Men's Volleyball Championship opening match on August 19.  The 2023 Asian Men's Volleyball Championship will take place in Orumiyeh, Iran from August 19 to 26.  Groups: Group A: Iran, Hong Kong, Iraq Group B: Japan, Uzbekistan, Thailand Group C: China, Kazakhstan, Indonesia Group D: Chinese Taipei, Bahrain, Mongolia Group F: Qatar, India, Afghanistan Group F: Pakistan, South Korea, Bangladesh  

Barshim to lead Team Qatar at Hungary worlds

Doha: Olympic and world champion high jump star Mutaz Essa Barshim will be leading Qatar’s charge at the forthcoming World Athletics Championships in Budapest 2023 (August 19-27), the Qatar Athletics Federation (QAF) announced on Tuesday. Barshim will be a part of a three-member Qatar team which also features Bassem Hemeida (400m hurdles) and Moaaz Mohamed (discus throw). A three-time world champion and thrice Olympic medallist, Barshim recently gave a glimpse of his good form winning the Silesia Diamond League in Poland and finishing second at London Diamond League. The winning height in high jump at the last three global championships (Eugene 2022, Tokyo 2021 and Doha 2019) - has been 2.37m. Barshim is favourite and seems to be on course to join an exclusive club of athletes who have won five consecutive global titles. He is currently the World Leader with 2.36m. Barshim last four consecutive global gold wins have been 2017-London, 2019-Doha, 2021-Tokyo and 2022-Eugene. At 32, the Qatari athlete continues to be a front runner given his fine runs at at the Silesia Kamila Skolimowska Memorial Diamond League in Chorzow, Poland, last month and at the London Diamond League where he hit 2.33. Meanwhile, Hemeida will also try to make his presence felt at the Worlds in Hungary, competing in the one lap hurdles event in the absence of ace compatriot Abderrahman Samba who has missed most part of the season due to an injury. Hemeida is a former Asian championships gold winner and has a personal best of 48.64 secs which places him in the top 30 in the world this season. Discus throw athelete Moaaz Mohamed is a former U-20 World and Asian champion and has a personal best of 62.48 metres. The Qatar contingent will be led by Qatar Athletics Federation (QAF) President Mohamed Issa Al Fadala who will also attend the World Athletics meetings along with Issa Abdullah Al Harami, QAF Secretary-General. The delegation also includes former athlete Talal Mansour, Khalifa Abdul Malik, Khaled Al Marri and trainer Massimo.  

Team Qatar concludes Chengdu 2021 FISU World University Games on High Note

Chengdu, China – Team Qatar has concluded its  campaign in  the 31st edition of the Chengdu 2021  FISU World University Games Summer on high note on Tuesday . The games were held  from July 28 to August 8, 2023  in the Chinese city of Chengdu. Team Qatar fielded young names in three sports disciplines,  including athletics, table tennis and taekwondo.  Elhafiz Medani Mahadi and Hamdi Ali ( Athletics), Ahmed Mohammed Saadawi (table tennis)  and Mohammed Samer Shalan, Maram Assam Fatnassi and Wadah Al-Ahmed  ( Taekwondo). These promising Qatari names have spared no effort and made waves at  this big international sport gathering. The  event  brought  together top strong  teams with  high excellence and experience in different sport disciplines. In a post- event statement,   the Qatar Collegiate Sports Federation (QCSF) President H.E Dr. Ibrahim Bin Saleh Al-Naimi has lauded team Qatar’s sport and technical performance in these games. He appreciated this participation and said it will develop talented youth who will be  integral part of  the  national teams in the future.  Dr Al-Naimi  thanked  national sport federations and high education institutions for their technical and administrative effort   they gave to the QCSF team  in these games. He also  thanked Chinese authorities for their  warm hospitality and  high standard- organization of this big sport event. For his part, the  QCSF Secretary General , Mr. Rashid Adiba said  that  experience  has been earned from  these game has given  the youngsters  a true chance to  deal with  environment of global competitions,  getting more skills , share experiences  with world  young athletes. Chengdu 2021 FISU World University Games Summer  have seen  world youth teams  who competed for  two weeks in row, in 18 sport disciplines, including athletics, archery, badminton, basketball, diving, swimming, artistic gymnastics, rhythmic gymnastics, fencing, volleyball, tennis, shooting sport, taekwondo, table tennis, judo, rowing, water polo and wushu.

Women’s event to feature in Qatar Classic after eight years

Doha: The QTerminals Qatar Classic will feature a women’s draw for the first time since 2015 when the PSA World Tour Platinum event takes place at the Khalifa International Tennis & Squash Complex in Doha from September 9-16. With the now-retired Laura Massaro winning the event eight years ago, it is guaranteed that a new name will be etched onto the women’s trophy, and it’s World No 1 Nouran Gohar who will headline the 48-women draw for the second PSA World Tour Platinum event of the 2023-24 campaign. Gohar will receive a bye into round two where she will come up against either Emily Whitlock of Wales or Ineta Mackevica of Latvia. From there, she is seeded to come up against World No 9 Olivia Fiechter and World No 7 Amanda Sobhy before a mouthwatering semi-final with arch-rival Hania El Hammamy. On the opposite side of the draw is World Champion and No 2 seed Nour El Sherbini, who reached the final of the Qatar Classic in 2015. The likes of World No 10 Rowan Elaraby, No 6 Nele Gilis and World No 4 Joelle King will stand between El Sherbini and the final. Malaysia’s former World No 5 Low Wee Wern and Egypt’s World No 62 Malak Khafagy have taken the wildcard spots in the women’s draw. They will face World No 28 Nada Abbas and World No 31 Lucy Turmel, respectively, in round one. The men’s draw will be headed up by two-time champion Ali Farag. The World No 1 – a Qatar Classic champion in 2018 and 2020 – will look to improve on a disappointing third round exit last year and is seeded to play compatriots Mohamed Abouelghar, Fares Dessouky and Tarek Momen – who won his World Championship trophy in Qatar in 2019 – in his first three matches. In the semi-finals he is seeded to meet No 4 seed Paul Coll, who was a losing finalist in both 2020 and 2021. Peruvian Diego Elias is seeded at No 2 and he returns to the scene of his first Platinum title win, when he defeated Coll to take the trophy in 2021, becoming the first South American to win the prestigious title. He is seeded to play defending champion Mohamed ElShorbagy in a mouthwatering semi-final contest. ElShorbagy has four Qatar Classic trophies under his belt and is one win away from a 50th PSA title – he would become only the fourth man to achieve that milestone. Qatari No 1 Abdulla Mohamed al-Tamimi will take on Frenchman Lucas Serme in round one, while his compatriots Syed Azlan Amjad and Salem al-Malki take the wildcard spots. The tournament kicks off with the first round of the women’s event on September 9 and the final will take place on September 15. The men’s event will be held from September 10-16. Total player compensation of $375,000 – split equally between the men’s and women’s events – will be on offer. 2023 QTerminals Qatar Classic: Men’s Draw [1] Ali Farag (EGY) [bye] Henry Leung (HKG) v [17/32] Mohamed Abouelghar (EGY) [17/32] Dimitri Steinmann (SUI) v Karim El Hammamy (EGY) [9/16] Fares Dessouky (EGY) [bye] [17/32] Omar Mosaad (EGY) v Tsz Kwan Lau (HKG) Lucas Serme (FRA) v [17/32] Abdulla Mohd Al Tamimi (QAT) [17/32] Adrian Waller (ENG) v Timothy Brownell (USA) [8] Tarek Momen (EGY) [bye] [6] Victor Crouin (FRA) [bye] [WC] Salem Al Malki (QAT) v [17/32] Patrick Rooney (ENG) [17/32] Ramit Tandon (IND) v David Baillargeon (CAN) Todd Harrity (USA) v [17/32] Greg Lobban (SCO) [17/32] Iker Pajares Bernabeu (ESP) v Rory Stewart (SCO) Faraz Khan (USA) v [17/32] Mohamed ElSherbini (EGY) [9/16] Joel Makin (WAL) [bye] [4] Paul Coll (NZL) [bye] [3] Mohamed ElShorbagy (ENG) [bye] Charlie Lee (ENG) v [17/32] Gregoire Marche (FRA) [9/16] Baptiste Masotti (FRA) [bye] Leandro Romiglio (ARG) v [17/32] Youssef Ibrahim (EGY) [17/32] Shahjahan Khan (USA) v George Parker (ENG) Curtis Malik (ENG) v [17/32] Aly Abou Eleinen (EGY) [9/16] Miguel Rodriguez (COL) [bye] [7] Mazen Hesham (EGY) [bye] [5] Marwan ElShorbagy (ENG) [bye] [9/16] Karim Abdel Gawad (EGY) [bye] [9/16] Nicolas Mueller (SUI) [bye] [9/16] Eain Yow Ng (MAS) [bye] [9/16] Youssef Soliman (EGY) [bye] Balazs Farkas (HUN) v [17/32] Saurav Ghosal (IND) [17/32] Auguste Dussourd (FRA) v [WC] Syed Azlan Amjad (QAT) [2] Diego Elias (PER) [bye]   2023 QTerminals Qatar Classic: Women’s Draw [1] Nouran Gohar (EGY) [bye] Ineta Mackevica (LAT) v [17/32] Emily Whitlock (WAL) [17/32] Hana Moataz (EGY) v Ka Yi Lee (HKG) [9/16] Olivia Fiechter (USA) [bye] [17/32] Fayrouz Aboelkheir (EGY) v Nicole Bunyan (CAN) Amina Orfi (EGY) v [17/32] Nadine Shahin (EGY) [17/32] Hollie Naughton (CAN) v Salma Eltayeb (EGY) [7] Amanda Sobhy (USA) [bye] [8] Georgina Kennedy (ENG) [bye] [WC] Malak Khafagy (EGY) v [17/32] Lucy Turmel (ENG) [17/32] Tsz-Wing Tong (HKG) v Enora Villard (FRA) [9/16] Sarah-Jane Perry (ENG) [bye] [17/32] Sana Ibrahim (EGY) v Sivasangari Subramaniam (MAS) [9/16] Olivia Clyne (USA) [bye] [17/32] Hana Ramadan (EGY) v Georgia Adderley (SCO) [3] Hania El Hammamy (EGY) [bye] [4] Joelle King (NZL) [bye] Kenzy Ayman (EGY) v [17/32] Jasmine Hutton (ENG) [17/32] Tomato Ho (HKG) v Marie Stephan (FRA) [9/16] Tinne Gilis (BEL) [bye] [9/16] Tesni Evans (WAL) [bye] Emilia Soini (FIN) v [17/32] Melissa Alves (FRA) [916] Salma Hany (EGY) [bye] [5] Nour El Tayeb (EGY) [bye] [6] Nele Gilis (BEL) [bye] Zeina Mickawy (EGY) v [17/32] Lucy Beecroft (ENG) [17/32] Mariam Metwally (EGY) v Katie Malliff (ENG) [WC] Low Wee Wern (MAS) v [17/32] Nada Abbas (EGY) [916] Sabrina Sobhy (USA) [bye] [9/16] Rowan Elaraby (EGY) [bye] [17/32] Alexandra Fuller (RSA) v Nour Aboulmakarim (EGY) [2] Nour El Sherbini (EGY) [bye]