Neeraj Chopra to compete in Doha Diamond League 2023

Doha: Olympic javelin champion and world silver medallist Neeraj Chopra – the Indian national record holder with a best of 89.94m – will join world champion Anderson Peters (GRN) and Olympic silver medallist Jakub Vadlejch (CZE) in a much-anticipated javelin competition at the Doha Meeting on Friday 5 May. Chopra is an inspirational figure and has blazed a trail for Indian athletes throughout his career to date. He was the first Indian track and field athlete to set a world record (under-20) when he threw 86.48m to win the 2016 World U20 Championships, which was also the first time an Indian athlete had won a global track and field title. He won javelin gold at the 2018 Asian Games, the first Indian athlete to do so, and made history in Tokyo when he became the country’s first Olympic gold medallist in track and field. The former Commonwealth Games champion (2018), who improved his lifetime best by almost two metres with a throw of 89.94m for second at last year’s BAUHAUS-Galan in Stockholm, was crowned 2022 Wanda Diamond League champion. Due to injury, Chopra unfortunately missed the 2022 Doha Meeting. It was an event that presented spectators with a javelin masterclass as two national records were broken, including the fifth-longest throw in history by Grenada’s two-time world champion Peters (93.07m), a mark only just outside Thomas Röhler’s 93.90m impressive meeting record from 2017. Peters returns for the 2023 edition of the Doha Meeting, alongside Olympic silver medallist Vadlejch – European silver medallist and bronze medallist in Eugene - who also recorded a PB in Doha 2022 with his first ever throw over 90m (90.88m). Alongside the decorated trio, the Doha Meeting will also welcome European champion Julian Weber (GER), the Olympic and world fourth-place finisher with a best of 89.54m; former Olympic champion and Trinidad & Tobago national record holder Keshorn Walcott (90.16m); and former world and Commonwealth champion and 2016 Olympic silver medallist Julius Yego, the Kenyan record holder (92.72m). According to an interview with AW (AthleticsWeekly.com), the eight Indian track and field athletes who medalled at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham cited Chopra’s breakthrough achievements as a motivating factor, helping them to believe what was possible. His role in sport goes way beyond competition. “It’s hugely important for me to inspire my nation and its people,” said the 25-year-old. “I have a constant desire for improvement and I will continue to work hard, as I always have done, in order to achieve that. “While last year was a good year for me with a new personal best, world silver medal, and the win of the Wanda Diamond League, this year brings new opportunities. My goal for this summer is the World Championships, alongside the Asian Games and the defence of my Wanda Diamond League title. I’m also getting closer to the 90m mark, so it would mean a lot for me to break that barrier. “I’m always overwhelmed by the warm support I get from Indians across the world and in Qatar that is particularly special, so I’m looking forward to opening my 2023 Wanda Diamond League season in Doha alongside a group of incredible athletes, in front of a passionate crowd.” The 2023 Wanda Diamond League comprises 14 meetings in total*, starting with Doha at the Qatar Sports Club on 5 May and concluding with a single final across two days in Eugene (16-17 September). Each of the 13 series meetings will be broadcast globally in a live two-hour programme. *In an update to the 2023 calendar, the Shanghai meeting scheduled for July will no longer take place.  

Draw held for Concacaf Gold Cup

California: Asian champions Qatar were placed in Group B of the Concacaf Gold Cup along with Mexico, Haiti and Honduras. The draw for the tournament, which will take place in United States and and Canada from June 16 and July 16, was held at the SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California Friday. The Gold Cup brings together teams from North and Central America and the Caribbean and has traditionally been dominated by the United States and Mexico. Qatar will take part in the championship for the second time asa guest side. In their debut two years ago, they had lost to eventual champions the United States in the semi-finals. It will be the first major assignment for veteran Carlos Queiroz as coach of the Qatar team after he replaced Felix Sanchez following the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022. Meanwhile, defending champions US are placed with Jamaica and Nicaragua while a winner of the preliminary match will also join the group. The group stage begins June 24, and the will be held across 14 metropolitan areas and 15 stadiums, mainly in the United States. Draw Group A: US, Jamaica, Nicaragua, winner of prelim match 9 Group B: Mexico, Haiti, Honduras, Qatar Group C: Costa Rica, Panama, El Salvador, winner of prelim match 8 Group D: Canada, Guatemala, Cuba, winner of prelim match 7

Abderrahman Almoubarrake wins 400m event at ASA Athletics Grandprix

Johannesburg: Qatar's Abderrahman Almoubarrake won 400m event at ASA Athletics Grandprix held on Wednesday.  Almoubarrake took the first place after clocking a time of 45:37 seconds.  The event comes in light of his preparations for West Asian Athletics Championships in Doha later this month, 2023 Asian Athletics Championships in July and 2023 World Athletics Championships in Hungary .

Schools Olympic Program Football Tournament concludes

DOHA – The competitions of the second edition of Schools Olympic Program Football Tournament 2023  was concluded at the Aspire Zone outdoor playground on Thursday. The tournament final day was attended by H.E the Qatar Olympic Committee President, Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani.  This tournament was organized in  the Holy Month of Ramadan with the purpose of ensuring ideal opportunities  for students  to show their skills and build up a better future in the game in way that can serve the Qatari sport.

Secretary General crowns winners of QOC Ramadan Tournament 2023

DOHA -  H.E the Secretary-General of the Qatar Olympic Committee (QOC) Jassim bin Rashid Al-Buenain  has crowned the winners of the  beach volleyball, Shooting and Padel competitions of Qatar Olympic Committee Ramadan Tournament 2023 , which was concluded at Lusail Shooting Range on Wednesday. Wednesdays’ crowning ceremony was attended by a number of Directors of the QOC departments, Heads of sections ,  units and employees. Earlier in the opening week, the President Office team  produced an impressive performance to claim Beach Volleyball title for departments, Procurement team settled in the runner-up place and  the third place went  to Public Relations team. In the men’s shooting event, Mohammed Al-Kuwari won the first place, Rashid Saedan Al-Rashdi finished in the runner-up place, while the third place went to Fahad Al-Braik. While, in the women’s event, Al Dana Al-Obaidly won the first place, Nojoud Al-Hail occupied the second place and Sara Al-Kubaisi took the third place. More than 30 employees from different  QOC departments and  their families had participated in a 1km long-family walk with spirit of social synergy  , after which the organizing committee distributed in-kind gifts and medals to  children on the occasion of  traditional event Garangao. In the Padel final  game at the closing scene of the tournament,  the duo Ishaq Al Hashemi & Abdulaziz Al Balooshi  secured  a hard (6-4) (3-6) and (7-10) victory over the duo Ahmad Al Thani & Hassan Al Thani  to win the title of the sport that has  most growing popularity in Qatar society. By organizing this annual sport event, the QOC always aims to build up true values of sports , to promote the Olympism  and making Sport For All and Sport For  Life  applicable and valuable.  

SOP Ramadan Football Tournament to conclude on Thursday

Doha: The second edition of SOP Ramadan Football Tournament will be concluded at Aspire Zone on Thursday where Al Andalus School will take on Global Academy in the final match.  The third-place match will be also held on Thursday were Middle East School will shake hands with Al Shahaniya School.  In the semifinals, Al Andalus school defeated Al Shahaniya 3-0 while Global Academy edged past Middle East School.  Sheikh Khalifa bin Khalid Al Thani, President of the Qatar School Sport Association and Chairman of SOP Organizing Committee lauded the huge support of the Qatar Olympic Committee to the event and stressed that the second edition featured the participation of 32 private and government schools in new success for the tournament.