Barshim wins third consecutive high jump gold at world championships

EUGENE, Ore., USA - Qatar's Mutaz Barshim won an unprecedented third successive world high jump gold in style on Monday as he cleared a world-leading 2.37 metres with ease as all his rivals struggled to get close Barshim, who famously shared Olympic gold with Italy's Gianmarco Tamberi last year, jumped beautifully all night to go well beyond his own season's best of 2.30m. The title was just about secure after he had cleared 2.35m but he then eased over 2.37m looking almost in slow motion. With the gold medal then in the bag he had one attempt at a championship record 2.42m but failed. "The target for me for today was gold medal, if even the world record is the only thing I still miss," said Barshim, whose best of 2.43m is second only to Javier Sotomayor's 2.45m set in 1993. "Three worlds golds in a row is something that has never have been done before. I feel like I have a name in our sport, but I have been never felt like the greatest one in the field," added the modest Qatari, who also has two Olympic silvers and a world silver to his name. World indoor champion Woo Sang-hyeok of South Korea needed three attempts to get over 2.33m but then also cleared 2.35m at the second attempt to take silver. Ukraine's Andriy Protsenko collected bronze on the back of his 2.33m clearance. Tamberi had a nervous path into the final, twice failing at 2.25m and then twice again at 2.28m in Friday's heats. In the final he failed twice at 2.30m but then cleared 2.33m at the second attempt before bowing out at 2.35m to finish fourth.

Team Qatar Swimmers to participate in Arab Championship in Algeria

Algeria: The Qatari swimming team will participate in the Fifth Arab Swimming Championship, which will start Wednesday in Oran, Algeria, and will continue until July 24, with the participation of 15 Arab countries. Swimmers Abdulaziz Al Obaidli and Youssef Hassan will represent the Qatari national team in the competition. The two swimmers are looking forward to fight  for medals in the Arab Championship after their brilliant performance in the third GCC Games held in Kuwait in May. Al Obaidli won the gold medals for the 400m and 200m medley races, with two new Gulf records, while Youssef Hassan won the gold medal for the 200m backstroke with a new Gulf record as well.

Qatar to take on Egypt in Arab Youth Basketball Championship

Cairo: Team Qatar suffered a 60-87 defeat against Algeria in the 2022 Arab Youth Basketball Championship on Monday. The championship is held in Cairo, Egypt until July 21. Team Qatar began their campaign in the event with a 86-74 victory over UAE then they defeated Kuwait 83-72. Team Qatar will take on Egypt on Tuesday in their last match at the first round of the championship. The event brings together 6 nations including Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Algeria, UAE and Egypt.

Qatar to face Croatia in Beach Handball final at World Games

BIRMINGHAM , USA -The final day of the men’s beach handball competition at The World Games in Birmingham, USA will end with the 22nd and last game, when Qatar face Croatia in the gold-medal match on Today, two hours before that, Brazil and the host nation will clash for the bronze medal. In 2017, both Croatia and Qatar medalled at The World Games in Wroclaw, Poland with Croatia losing to Brazil in the final and Qatar defeating Hungary for bronze. From 2005 to 2013, Croatia recorded three The World Games bronze medals in a row, but with their final appearance in 2022, they have now recorded two finals in a row after that 2017 loss. Qatar finished fourth in their debut The World Games appearance, in Cali, Colombia, in 2013, after losing to the Croatians in the semi-finals. Now, they have recorded their highest-ever ranking and will face a Croatia side who are the newly-crowned world champions after winning the 2022 IHF Men’s Beach Handball World Championship in Greece just last month. The two teams have already met in Birmingham. Croatia won 2-0 (29:20, 22:18) in a win which included 16 points from Greece 2022 MVP and top scorer Lucian Bura. “In 2017, we gave them the game and they didn't believe what was happening then,” said Qatar’s Mohamed Ahmed Zaky, who played against Croatia in both 2013 and 2017, to ihf.info. “We were having a lack of self-confidence that we could win.” There was certainly no lack of self-confidence in Qatar’s second period demolition of title-holders Brazil in their semi-final yesterday which led to a shoot-out win for the Asia continental runners-up. “We were very nervous in the first period, but we were bored of getting kicked off every semi-final we have been through, so then [we knew] anger is not working, revenge is not working,” said Zaky about the semi-final win. “We calmed down and did what we are meant to do. That is: play beach handball and enjoy the show. No more stress, just give it all that you have in order not to regret anything later.” His side certainly have no regrets, with Croatian captain Ivan Juric watching and acknowledging a strong defensive performance, which saw Qatar restrict Brazil to just 10 second-period points. “It was a great game to watch,” said Juric, who is playing in his fourth The World Games after his debut in 2009, to ihf.info. “Brazil were playing their game and made chances for open shots, but the Qatari goalkeeper was on fire, making some crucial saves at the beginning of the second set. We will just have to be very concentrated while shooting. “It is difficult to beat the same team twice at the same tournament,” he added about facing Qatar again. “They learn more from defeat than us from the win. I guess we will just have to play our game: patiently in the offence, and strong and focused in the defence.” Birmingham 2022 represents a chance for Juric to win gold for the first time and to complete his set after two bronzes (2009, 2013) and silver last time out (2017). “These are my fourth The World Games since I started at Kaohsiung 2009,” said the 35-year-old. “My happiest memory is reaching the final in Wroclaw 2017, but we had the best time in Cali 2013. “Sleeping with any medal is one of the best feelings, just below winning a gold,” he said about having already confirmed at least a silver. “But I feel that now it is time to go all the way through to the end, to win a gold.” Juric also credited the majority of his side in Birmingham playing and winning the inaugural IHF Beach Handball Global Tour held earlier this month in Gdansk, Poland.  “We went to Gdansk to have a good preparation for The World Games,” he explained. “Winning that tournament helped us maintain our ‘winning mentality’, but, on the other side, we didn’t have much time to rest.”  

Team Qatar star Barshim reaches High Jump Final at World Athletics Championship

EUGENE, USA - Qatari high jumper Mutaz Essa Barshim’s quest for a third straight World Athletics Championship gold medal lifted off smoothly as he qualified for the final in confident fashion in Eugene, Oregon, on Friday. At the Hayward Field, the Olympic champion cleared 2.28M to become one of the 13 qualifiers for the title showdown, to be held on Monday. The 31-year-old started by clearing 2.17 but skipped 2.21 before soaring over 2.25 and 2.28 with ease in his first attempts. His fellow Olympic champion Gianmarco Tamberi had a difficult outing but the Italian managed to make the cut with his final attempt at 2.28. Tamberi had also knocked down the bar two times at 2.25 before clearing it on his final try. A total of 11 athletes cleared 2.28 to qualify for the final while two made it on a countback with 2.25M clearances.  South Korea’s reigning indoor world champion Sanghyeok Woo (2.28) was in searing form, clearing all the heights on his first attempt. Canada’s Django Lovett, Ukraine’s Andriy Protsenko, Cuba’s Luis Enrique Zayas, Japan’s Shinno Tomohiro, Israel’s Yonathan Kapitolnik, Australia’s Joel Baden, USA’s JuVaughn Harrison and Shelby McEwen all cleared 2.28M. Mexico’s Edggar Rivera and Germany’s Mateusz Przybylko made it with 2.25.

Qatar defeat Saudi Arabia in Arab Youth Basketball Championship

Cairo: Team Qatar extended their winning streak in the 2022 Arab Youth Basketball Championship to three games with their 68-66 victory over Saudi Arabia on Saturday. The championship is held in Cairo, Egypt until July 21. Team Qatar began their campaign in the event with a 86-74 victory over UAE then they defeated Kuwait 83-72. The event brings together 6 nations including Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Algeria, UAE and Egypt.