Qatar’s Rashid wins bronze in Cairo

Cairo- Qatar’s Rashid Hamad clinched the skeet bronze medal at the ISSF Egypt World Cup for shotgun on Thursday. Rashid finished with a score of 41 in the final round, behind first-placed Ukraine’s Mikola Milchev with 53 and second-placed Denmark’s Jesper Hansen with 52. “I am very satisfied with my performance here as it was a tough final against veteran Milchev and a very good shooter Hansen,” Rashid, who represented Qatar at the 2008 and 2016 Olympic Games, said. The 53-year-old former Olympic champion Milchev and Hansen finished with 45 and 43 hits respectively after 50 shots to take proceedings to a shoot-off in which the former won. The 24-year-old Rashid, who won gold in the shotgun event in Rabat Grand Prix early this month, had been in good form in the local competitions and won a gold and silver besides a fourth-place finish in the Amir Cup and Qatar Shooting Association Cup recently. Talking about his Olympic chances, Rashid was very optimistic. “I have a very good chance, but I have to wait till the next World Cup in India (March 18-29) for my Olympic quota chances. I am going to India directly from here,” Rashid said. The 2012 London Olympic Games bronze medal winner Nasser Saleh al-Attiyah of Qatar missed the final round by a whisker as he was seventh at the end of the qualification rounds. In the women’s section, Slovakia’s London 2012 bronze medallist Danka Bartekova won the gold and Russia’s Alina Fazylzyanova, who won ISSF Grand Prix in Rabat, claimed silver. Cyprus’ Konstantia Nikolaou clinched bronze.  

Bertens first to land in Doha for Qatar Total Open 2021

Doha- The stars have started arriving in Doha for the Qatar Total Open 2021, with the world No.11 Kiki Bertens of The Netherland being the first player to touch down at the Hamad International Airport on Monday night. The 29-year-old Bertens, a 2016 French Open semi-finalist, was received on arrival by the Qatar Tennis Federation officials before proceeding with the necessary health protocols in line with the tournament's vital health and safety measures. This year's tournament is Berten's fourth appearance in Doha. She made her Qatar Total Open debut during a rain-soaked 2017, falling in the opening Round to eventual finalist Caroline Wozniacki. After skipping 2018, she returned in 2019 to earn her first two Doha victories over Camila Giorgi and 2016 Champion Carla Suarez Navarro. In the Quarterfinals, she fell to eventual champion Elise Mertens. She was stopped in the Round of 16 by China's Zheng Saisai at last year's tournament. Bertens ended the 2020 season as World No. 9, her third time finishing among the Top-10. She won one WTA title at St. Petersburg and reached the fourth round of the Australian Open and Roland Garros. The Qatar Total Open 2021, the 19th edition, will take place from March 1 to 6 at the Khalifa International Tennis & Squash Complex in Doha. Expected to arrive in Doha later on Wednesday are World No. 12 Belinda Bencic, World No. 15 Garbine Muguruza, World No. 19 Madison Keys of the USA, Kazakhstan's Elena Rybakina, two-time (2012, 2013) champion Victoria Azarenka and Maria Sakkari of Greece. Other stars are expected to arrive in time for the WTA Tour Premier event's draw ceremony on February 26. "We are very excited to welcome Kiki Bertens to Doha for the fourth time. Since her first appearance in 2017, she has only missed this tournament once, which indicates how important Qatar Total Open is to her. I wish her all the best as she enjoys her stay while she does what she knows how to do best at this week-long festival of great tennis," Tournament Director SaadAl Mohannadi said. A total of $565,530 in prize money are up for grabs at the prestigious tournament, which will involve  32 players, including four qualifiers, in the singles event and 16 teams for the doubles.  

World’s best riders descend on Doha for Commercial Bank CHI AL SHAQAB Presented by Longines

Doha: A star-studded contingent of 85 riders from 27 countries around the world has descended upon Doha to compete in the spectacular Commercial Bank CHI Al Shaqab Presented by Longines 2021 event, which will be held at the Longines Arena at Al Shaqab, from February 25-27. In addition, 138 horses have arrived in Qatar’s capital city to take part in the world-class international equestrian competition. Al Shaqab, a member of Qatar Foundation, is organising CHI Al Shaqab for the eighth time, and the much-anticipated event will again see riders participate in the Olympic disciplines of showjumping, dressage, and para dressage. Sweden’s Peder Fredricson, ranked number four in the FEI Longines Jumping Rankings, headlines the riders’ list, while Olympians and former CHI Al Shaqab winners Edwina Tops-Alexander (Australia) and Scott Brash (Great Britain) make welcome returns to Doha. Flying the flag for Qatar will be local rider Sultan Salmen Al Suwaidi (showjumping). Omar Al Mannai, Event Director, Commercial Bank CHI Al Shaqab Presented by Longines, and Commercial Manager, Al Shaqab, said yesterday: “Once again, this amazing event has managed to attract globally respected champion riders and horses to Doha. They love to compete at Al Shaqab, and it shows in the number of riders who keep returning for the event. Al Shaqab has truly achieved its goal of developing an equestrian competition that other organisers aspire to and talk about, and that elite organizations wish to be a part of. This is highlighted by the quality of sponsors and partners who are associated with the event.” Commercial Bank is the Title Sponsor; Longines is the Presenting Partner; ExxonMobil is the Main Sponsor; and The Social & Sport Contribution Fund (Daam) is the Supporter of the event. Joseph Abraham, Group CEO, Commercial Bank, said: “Commercial Bank is pleased to play our part in Qatar’s sporting success story and to support Qatar’s national vision of being a world-class sports venue through our sponsorship of this premier competition.” Saleh Al Mana, Vice President and Director of Government and Public Affairs, ExxonMobil Qatar, said: “We’re pleased to be sponsoring CHI Al Shaqab for yet another year, and to continue to support Al Shaqab’s programs through our partnership, that was established since the centre’s very beginning..” “Our collaboration with Al Shaqab is inspiring leadership and life skills among young people that will be extremely important in their future careers, particularly in relation to the Qatar National Vision 2030.” In addition, Al Shaqab is also proud of its long-term association with Longines, whichis the Presenting Partner of CHI Al Shaqab. “This relationship is underscored by the renaming of the competition venue as the Longines Arena at Al Shaqab, which represents the perfect location for the world’s best riders and their horses to compete for the ultimate honour of being crowned a champion at CHI Al Shaqab,” said Al Mannai. A former international-level showjumper and dressage rider who represented Qatar in the 2006 Asian Games, Al Mannai emphasised the importance of para dressage as a part of Commercial Bank CHI Al Shaqab Presented by Longines. He said: “ Al Shaqab continues to include this Olympic discipline in the event not only because our facilities are geared to meet the needs of the participants but, more importantly, they are wonderful role models andsources of great inspiration. We look forward to seeing Qatari riders competing in this discipline in the future.”  

Qatar’s Younousse, Tijan cruise to Doha Cup quarterfinals

Doha- Qatar’s Cherif Younousse and Ahmed Tijan qualified to the quarterfinals of Doha Beach Volleyball Cup being held at Al Gharrafa Beach Complex until Friday. The Qatari duo began their campaign in the event by defeating Salba Chafic/Joe El Azzi of Lebanon 21-8 21-11, then they defeated Russia's Pavel Shustrov/Alexey Gusev 21-14 21-17 on Wednesday to book their spot in the quarterfinals.  The semifinals and medal matches will be played Friday in what is the first FIVB World Tour event on the 2021 international calendar. Doha will also host the second 2021 FIVB World Tour event from March 8-12 for the $300,000 men's and women's Katara Beach Volleyball Cup.  

Stage set for Doha Beach Volleyball Cup

Doha, A total of 24 teams from 14 countries will be in the field when the Doha Beach Volleyball Cup begins on Tuesday. With Qatar hosting an FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour event for the eighth time, the Doha Beach Volleyball Cup is a 1-star men’s-only tournament. Doha will also host a 4-star men’s and women’s event from March 8-12. Following Tuesday’s qualifiers, the 16-team main draw for the Doha Beach Volleyball Cup begins with pool play on Wednesday. The top three finishers in each of the four groups will advance to the elimination bracket where two rounds will be played on Thursday. Friday’s schedule features the semifinal and medal matches. Eleven of the teams in the Doha Beach Volleyball Cup are ranked on the FIVB World Tour list led by Qatar’s Cherif Younousse and Ahmed Tijan. With three World Tour medals to their credit in 29 FIVB starts together, Cherif and Ahmed are ranked 13th internationally. Six other teams in the Doha Beach Volleyball Cup field have FIVB medals to their credit, including Anton Kislytsyn/Daniil Kuvichka and Alexey Gusev/Pavel Shustrov of Russia, Yves Haussener/Quentin Metral of Switzerland, Murat Giginoglu/Volkan Gogtepe and Selcuk Sekerci/Sefa Urlu of Turkey and Travis Mewhirter/Adam Roberts of the United States. Also competing in the Doha Beach Volleyball Cup are Jackson Henriquez and Jesus villafane of Venezuela, who competed in one World Tour event together since their last full season on the international circuit in 2016. Henriquez and Villafane will start play in the qualifier on Tuesday as all five FIVB confederations are scheduled to have teams competing in the event - Asia (Lebanon, Oman, Qatar), Africa (Gambia, Egypt, Morocco), Europe (Poland, Russia, Switzerland), NORCECA (Canada and the United States) and South America (Venezuela). The last World Tour event was played this past September in Lithuania where teams from Estonia (Kusti Nolvak Mart Tiisaar) and Italy (Margherita Bianchin/Claudia Scampoli) topped the men’s and women’s podiums, respectively.  

Team Qatar to participate in 2021 ISSF World Cup Shotgun in Egypt

Doha-The Qatari national shooting team will participate in 2021 ISSF World Cup Shotgun to be held in Egypt from February 22 to March 5. The event will bring together 400 shooters from 31 nations including Argentina; Armenia; Spain; France; Denmark; Germany; India; Kazakhstan; Saudi Arabia; Kuwait; Lebanon; South Africa; the Netherlands; Qatar; Russia; Sweden; Slovakia; the US; the UAE; Senegal; Ukraine; Canada; Croatia; the Czech Republic; England; Ireland; Luxembourg; Libya; Norway; Poland; Sudan; and Egypt. The state of Qatar will be represented by Nasser Al Attiyah, Rashed Saleh, Mohamed Al Rumaihi and Saeed Bu Shareb. Team Qatar will also participate in World Cup Rifle/Pistol/Shotgun to be staged in New Delhi, India from March 18-29, 2021.