Qatar’s Younousse and Tijan off to a winning start at Asian Senior Beach Volleyball Championships

Three-time champions Qatar’s Cherif Younousse and Ahmed Tijan were off to a victorious start at the Asian Senior Beach Volleyball Championships in Pingtan, China, recording two dominant wins at the pool stage on Friday. The Olympic bronze medal winners, Cherif and Ahmed beat China’s Aihemaiti Salamu and Lyu Lin 2-0 (21-17, 21-15) in the opening Pool ‘B’ match before defeating Iran’s Salemi Bahman and Shokati Sina 2-0 (21-16, 21-12) in the second match. Qatar’s second pair, Ibrahim Nassim Abdullah and Zaki Mohamed Ihab, lost their first match 0-2 (9-21, 19-21) to Indonesia’s Efendi Sofyan Rachman and Pribadi Danangsyah. However, the duo then bounced back with a 2-0 (21-12, 22-20) win over Jude Garcia and James Buytrago of the Philippines.  

Qatar Olympic Committee Organizes Spectacular Olympic Day Event

Doha- The Qatar Olympic Committee (QOC) celebrated the 2023 Olympic Day with a spectacular community engagement event on Friday at the Mall of Qatar. The event captivated attendees of all ages, offering a range of exciting activities and a special panel discussion featuring three Team Qatar Olympians. The Olympic Day event proved to be a memorable occasion for kids and younger age groups, providing them with an opportunity to engage in various fun-filled activities and learn more about the Olympic Movement and its history. Participants were able to experience the Olympic spirit firsthand while enjoying interactive games, engaging challenges, and thrilling competitions. The event aimed to inspire the younger generation and promote the importance of physical activity, sportsmanship, and the Olympic values in line with this year’s theme: #LetsMove. Highlighting the event's significance, a special panel discussion took place, featuring three esteemed Team Qatar Olympians: Fares Ibrahim, Team Qatar Weightlifter and Tokyo 2020 Gold Medalist; Nada Mohammed Wafa, Team Qatar swimmer and two time Olympian; and Beshayer al Menwari, Team Qatar track and field athlete. These remarkable athletes shared their inspiring stories from their Olympic careers, emphasizing the values of the Olympic Movement. The panel discussion provided a unique opportunity for attendees to gain insights into the dedication, resilience, and determination required to excel at the Olympic level. Fares Ibrahim, Team Qatar’s Weightlifting star, expressed his enthusiasm, stating, "Olympic Day to me is a celebration of sport and its power to inspire and bring people together from diverse backgrounds. It is an honor to be part of this event and share the Olympic values with young athletes. I hope our stories and experiences encourage them to pursue their dreams and embrace the positive impact of sports in their lives." In addition to the enriching panel discussion, the Olympic Day event also featured competitions with prizes  provided by Store 974 and Alif Bookstore. These exciting giveaways added an extra element of joy and excitement to the event, fostering a sense of community and celebrating the spirit of the Olympic Movement. The Qatar Olympic Committee remains committed to organizing events that inspire and engage the community, promoting the positive impact of sports in Qatar and beyond.  

Team Qatar lose to Afghanistan in AFC U17 Asian Cup

Bangkok: Qatar U17 national football team suffered a 1-2 defeat against Afghanistan in AFC U17 Asian Cup™ Thailand 2023 on Thursday. The win meant Afghanistan finished third in the group behind Islamic Republic of Iran and Korea Republic while Qatar’s campaign concluded with just one point to their name. A lot was riding for Qatar as a win over Afghanistan, coupled with a favour from Korea Republic could potentially see them pip the Islamic Republic of Iran to the second quarter-final spot  from Group B. On the other hand, Afghanistan, the only team in the group to have never won the title, looked eager to finish their outing on a positive note. Qatar squandered an opportunity to take an early lead when Tahsin Mohammed Jamshid floated a cross to Nasser Adil Babiker, who wastefully sent the ball wide with a header from short range.. Afghanistan responded by making repeated charges into Qatar’s 18-yard box in the minutes that followed. Their determination yielded a result in the 17th minute when Hakim Khan Niazi’s through ball found Habibullah Hotak just outside the box, with his right footed shot hitting the crossbar before settling in the back of the net. But Afghanistan’s celebrations around their first goal of the competition were shortlived as goalkeeper Sediqullah Hussain parried an attempt from Qatar’s Babiker from the right flank in the 25th minute, inadvertently punching the ball straight to the feet of midfielder Khalid Atiyaq Alshaaibi who sent it through to the top right corner of the net. Qatar, however, found themselves trailing again in the 40th minute when thanks to an assist from Ali Reza Rahimi, defender Hotak unleashed a sharp right footed shot that went past a helpless Galal Elsharkway. As the clock hit the one hour mark, midfielder Arash Ahmadi created a chance for Afghanistan to extend their lead but his pass to teammate Navid Mohammadi  past several Qatari defenders  failed to achieve much as the lattersent the ball wide. For much of the remaining minutes of the second half, the Qatari players seemed to have run out of breath and it was Mohammad Zada’s side who continued to take some half-hearted chances, most of them being cleared away by the West Asian defence line without much effort.  

Team Qatar athletes win three medals at Arab Athletics Championships

Marrakesh: Team Qatar stars claimed three medals on the second day of Arab Athletics Championships which is held in Marrakesh, Morocco until next Saturday.  Femi Ogunode took the gold medal of 100m event with a time of 10.19 seconds while Ashraf Hussain claimed the gold medal of 400m event.  Moreover, Hamdi Al Amin clinched the silver medal of High Jump Event.  The 23rd edition of Arab Championships brings together 16 teams including Morocco, Qatar, Kuwait, Saudi Arabi, UAE, Somalia, Iraq, Yemen, Tunisia, Djibouti, Syria, Lebanon, Egypt, Libya, Oman and Palestine.   

Qatar bounce back in Stop 2 of 3x3 Nations League Doha 2023

Team Qatar bounced back from a surprise loss to Saudi Arabia and remained in contention for the top spot in the West Asia division of the 2023 FIBA 3x3 U-23 Nations League Doha, on Wednesday. Qatar, who had previously topped the table in the first leg, suffered a 14-22 defeat to Saudi Arabia before bouncing back with two wins in Stop 2. The Qatar men’s team, consisting of Mohammed Hashim “Hash Jr” Abbasher, Mubarak Jama, Ahmad Saeid Mohamad, and Omar Mohamed Saad, defeated Turkmenistan 21-16 and Jordan 19-15 in their last game of the second leg. Unlike the first leg, where Qatar dominated the competition, three teams won two games each in the second leg.  Saudi Arabia, after beating Qatar, lost to Jordan in overtime but secured a thrilling victory over Turkmenistan. Jordan also won two games, defeating Turkmenistan and Saudi Arabia before losing to Qatar in the final men’s game. Hash Jr once again showcased his skills, leading the scoring with 26 points. Qatar’s women’s team, however, struggled and lost all three of their games against Saudi Arabia, Turkmenistan, and Jordan. The teams will play six matches in total, and the team with the highest points will win the conference and advance to the final stage. The third leg of the series will be held on Thursday. (TNN)  

HE Sheikh Joaan Bin Hamad Al Thani attends European Games Opening Ceremony in Krakow, Poland

QOC President and ANOC Senior Vice President HE Sheikh Joaan Bin Hamad Al Thani tonight attended the Opening Ceremony of the European Games Krakow-Malopolska 2023 to show his support for European NOCs and their athletes. The Games was opened by the President of Poland Andrzej Duda and EOC President and IOC Member Spyros Capralos. Almost 7,000 athletes from 48 NOCs are set to compete in 26 sports over 11 days of competition in Poland. Among them will be the first ever EOC Refugee Team. As a Board member of the Olympic Refuge Foundation (ORF), His Excellency expressed his full support of the initiative which represents the first time a Refugee Team has competed at a Continental Games. Included in the Games programme will be new sports padel, teqball, muaythai, kickboxing, beach handball, rugby sevens, summer ski jumping and breaking alongside 18 Olympic sports. A total of 19 disciplines will use the European Games as a qualification pathway for the Olympic Games Paris 2024. The Games will take place across Poland with 13 towns and cities in the Malopolska region set to host events as the EOC aims to deliver a sustainable model without the need for new construction.