Qatar in Group D of 2021 CONCACAF Gold Cup

MIAMI, Florida, September 29, 2020-Debutants and Asian Cup champions Qatar yesterday were drawn with Honduras, Grenada and Panama in Group D of the 2021 Gold Cup.This will be second major North American football event to feature Qatar, hosts of the 2022 FIFA World Cup.Last year, Qatar made its debut in Copa America in Brazil where it played matches against Paraguay, Columbia and Argentina.Qatar is one of the invited teams for the 2021 edition of CONCACAF Gold Cup.CONCACAF has not announced sites of the tournament.Qatar are the seventh guest nation to compete in a Gold Cup and the first since 2005, joining the ranks of Brazil (1996, 1998, 2003), Colombia (2000, 2003, 2005), Peru (2000), Ecuador (2002), South Africa (2005) and South Korea (2000, 2002).Along with South Korea, Qatar will become the second nation from the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) to appear in a Gold Cup tournament.The draw was broadcast live and hosted by Emmy award winning TUDN sportscaster Lindsay Casinelli and Fox Sports Lead Soccer Analyst and United States Men's National Team legend Alexi Lalas.Mexico is defending champion.The draw:Group A: Curaçao, El Salvador, Mexico, qualifier from among Cuba, French Guyana, Montserrat, Trinidad and TobagoGroup B: Canada, Martinique, United States, qualifier from among Barbabos, Bermuda, Haiti, St. Vincent and the GrenadinesGroup C: Costa Rica, Jamaica, Suriname, qualifier from among Bahamas, Guadeloupe, Guatemala, GuyanaGroup D: Grenada, Honduras, Panama, Qatar

QOC suspends sports activities for three days to mourn the death of HH the Amir of Kuwait

Doha, September 29, 2020-The QOC announces that it has postponed all the local sports activities for a period of three days from Tuesday to Thursday to mourn the death of HH the Amir of the State of Kuwait Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, who passed away today.

QOC launches Integrated Management System platform

​DOHA, September 28, 2020-The Qatar Olympic Committee announced that it has launched Integrated Management System (IMS) platform as one of the first organizations in Qatar and the GCC region to use this system to achieve its strategic goals.The quality system is applied to all the operations and stages of delivery using three main criteria including: Quality- Health & Safety-Environment.The IMS provides the QOC with many features including; controlling, approving and archiving the documentary cycle digitally and automating the risk and opportunity management process for the integrated management system of the QOC departments and following up its updates.The new system also helps the QOC set and digitally follow-up the process of the IMS objective measurement, automate the IMS auditing process including preparing and implementing the internal audit plan and submitting audit reports to the team, manage and digitally update the IMS legal requirements record, automate the process of managing the annual review meetings with the IMS directors of department, automate the process of managing, monitoring and reporting the health, safety and environment system and periodically updating them and measure operational performance indicators for all departments and link them to the system.The IMS aims at achieving four main objectives including;1- Environment friendly: Preserving the environment (Rationalizing energy consumption and reducing paperwork)2- Communication: Improving communication between departments.3- Fulfilling the standards: Clarity and ease to follow-up the procedures.4- ISO Certification: Maintaining ISO certificates and digitally managing the audit process.The IMS also helps in promoting the comprehensive image for the organization including documents, procedures, regulations and strategic map to be accessible by the employees, automating the procedures of quality management in order to facilitate procedures, increase efficiency, reduce administrative efforts and reduce dependency on paperwork, controlling and archiving the documents digitally and managing the process of submitting and archiving the new applications digitally to facilitate referring to them when needed, managing IMS risks periodically and effectively and conducting the internal and external audit for IMS operations by the team or by ISO organization digitally and reducing dependency paper-based audit.

Sheikh Joaan attends Doha Wanda Diamond League Meeting 2020

Doha, September 25, 2020-HE President of the Qatar Olympic Committee (QOC) Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani addended the fourth and final round of Wanda Diamond League 2020 held at Qatar Sports Club on Thursday. In attendance also were HE the QOC Second Vice-President Dr Thani bin Abdulrahman Al Kuwari, HE the QOC Secretary General Mr. Jassim bin Rashid Al Buenain, Vice-President of Qatar Sports Club Sheikh Suhaim bin Abdulaziz Al Thani, President of the Qatar Swimming Association Mr. Khaleel Al Jabir and representatives of the Kuwaiti Embassy in Doha. Doha Wanda Diamond League meeting brought together 116 athletes from 31 countries including 27 world and Olympic champions. ​

Obiri and McSweyn victorious in Doha as Wanda Diamond League draws to a close

Doha, September 26, 2020-With about 90 seconds to go in the women's 3000m at the Wanda Diamond League meeting in Doha on Friday (25), it looked as though Hellen Obiri would register a rare defeat in the Qatari capital.Little more than 24 hours earlier, the world cross-country champion from Kenya had explained how Doha was one of her favourite cities to race in, having set her 3000m PB here in 2014 and retained her world 5000m title last year in the Khalifa Stadium.But when world steeplechase champion Beatrice Chepkoech breezed into the lead with about 550 metres left in tonight's 3000m race, Obiri kept her cool for another 200 metres before she unleashed her trademark kick for home, eventually winning in a world-leading 8:22.54.The field of 15 women, loaded with world and Olympic medallists, was paced through the first kilometre in 2:48.46. Obiri and Chepkoech were tucked behind the pacemaker with world 10,000m bronze medallist Agnes Tirop and world 5000m silver medallist Margaret Chelimo Kipkemboi also near the front of the tightly-bunched pack.After the pacemaker dropped out at the 1600m point, Obiri led the pack and reached 2000m in 5:39.70, the pace having slowed slightly. Eight women were still in contention with two laps to go with Obiri, Chepkoech, Tirop and Kipkemboi still occupying the first four places.Chepkoech made her move as she entered the home straight for the penultimate time, but Obiri responded with about 350 metres remaining, her head rocking and arms fighting, as is often her style at the end of races.Tirop and Chepkoech made up some ground in the final stages, but Obiri held on to win in 8:22.54, the second-fastest time of her career behind the 8:20.68 African outdoor record she set on this track six years ago.The next five women to cross the line were all rewarded with PBs. Tirop and Chepkoech finished second and third respectively, both timed at 8:22.92, while Kipkemboi (8:24.76) and 2015 world steeplechase champion Hyvin Kiyeng (8:25.13) were fourth and fifth. For the first time in history, seven women finished inside 8:27.“Doha has become like a second home to me as I've won so many races here, including the World Championships last year," said Obiri. "The season has not been the best for everyone but I am happy it is coming to an end."Lifetime bests for McSweyn and KipyegonStewart McSweyn has been one of the most prolific performances on the international circuit this year, racking up seven races within six weeks. Having finished sixth over 5000m in Monaco, third over 1500m in Stockholm and third over 3000m in Rome, the Australian capped his 2020 Diamond League campaign with a victory.But on this occasion, winning was McSweyn's secondary goal. His main target was to break the Australian 1500m record of 3:31.06 that had stood to Ryan Gregson for 10 years. He had come close to that mark in Stockholm last month with 3:31.48, and backed it up with a 3:32.17 win in Zagreb 10 days ago.Buoyed by the confidence of his Oceanian 3000m record of 7:28.02 in Rome last week, McSweyn was the only athlete to stick to the pacemaker, passing through 400m in a swift 54 seconds and going through 800m in 1:51.60. Some way behind, Kenya's Bethwell Birgen led the chase pack for the first couple of laps before world steeplechase bronze medallist Soufiane El Bakkali moved to the front of the group. But out in front, McSweyn was away and clear, with his 1200m split of 2:49.14 suggesting that he was still on pace to break the national record.McSweyn, showing some signs of fatigue but still comfortably ahead of the chasers, strode clear and crossed the line in 3:30.51, punching the air with delight as soon as he realised he'd taken half a second off Gregson's record.With a strong final kick, world 5000m silver medallist Selemon Barega came through to take second place in 3:32.97, followed by El Bakkali (3:33.45), world steeplechase silver medallist Lamecha Girma (3:33.77) and Britain's James West (3:34.07), all five men setting PBs.“I wasn't in the best of shape coming into this race but to win tonight is something I am very delighted about," said McSweyn. “I just wanted to race again considering how this season has been. It was a very competitive race but I executed my plan quite well and I maintained the pace. I'm happy to be heading home with a win in Doha."For the fourth time in as many races, Olympic 1500m champion Faith Kipyegon produced a dominant run to maintain her unbeaten streak this year.Contesting the 800m for the first time in five years, the 26-year-old Kenyan was in the middle of the pack for the first lap as the pacemaker led the field through half way in 57.72. Spain's Esther Guerrero then took up the running as Kipyegon navigated her way through the pack, hitting the front with 200 metres to go.She increased her pace all the way to the finish, charging through the line in a world-leading PB of 1:57.68. In second, Guerrero was rewarded with a PB of 1:59.22, the first sub-two-minute clocking of her career, while Adelle Tracey took third place in 1:59.87.“I'm so grateful and so happy to win here," said Kipyegon. “Yesterday when I saw the pacemaker was aiming for 1:57 pace, I was so nervous. I was really surprised I had that kick."The men's 800m played out in similar fashion with world bronze medallist Ferguson Cheruiyot Rotich taking command on the back straight before striding ahead to victory. After a 50.83-second opening lap, Britain's Elliot Giles led until about 300 metres to go when Rotich hit the front.The 30-year-old Kenyan eased away from the rest of the field and crossed the line in a season's best of 1:44.16, recording his fifth consecutive win. Giles was second in a PB of 1:44.56.Thompson-Herah dominates, meeting record split three ways in pole vaultReplicating her performance in Rome last week – almost to the hundredth – double Olympic champion Elaine Thompson-Herah was a comfortable winner of the women's 100m.The Jamaican started strongly and could simply not be caught, powering through the line in 10.87 (0.0). Multiple world medallist Marie-Josee Ta Lou was second in 11.21, just 0.04 ahead of USA's Kayla White.It ended up being the hardest-fought victory of his incredible 2020 season, but Mondo Duplantis emerged the winner of the pole vault.A first-time clearance at 5.71m gave him a slight edge over arch-rivals Sam Kendricks and Renaud Lavillenie. The three men skipped 5.77m and went straight to 5.82m, which Duplantis cleared on his first try, while Kendricks and Lavillenie needed three attempts. It meant the trio equalled the meeting record that had been set by Konstantinos Filippidis back in 2013.They were all unsuccessful at 5.92m; Duplantis saved his final effort for an attempt at 6.00m, but was unsuccessful once more. But the 20-year-old Swede was certainly not down-hearted to come up short of another six-metre vault.“It's been a fantastic season and I enjoyed sharing the moment tonight with the guys," he said. “We've not been able to see each other this season as we often do due to obvious reasons. Tonight's win is for my sister who is celebrating her 18th birthday."The expected three-way clash in the men's 110m hurdles didn't quite materialise after USA's Freddie Crittenden was a non-starter and France's Wilhem Belocian was disqualified for a false start. But US indoor champion Aaron Mallet didn't appear to be hampered by the absence of his leading opponents and he put together the race of his life to win in a PB of 13.15 (0.3m/s). Swiss record-holder Jason Joseph was third in 13.40.World silver medallist Maryna Bekh-Romanchuk saved her best for last in the long jump – which proved doubly beneficial as the event adopted the 'last round counts' format. The Ukrainian leapt 6.91m (0.6m/s) to beat world bronze medallist Ese Brume and Khaddi Sagnia. Brume's superior final-round effort (6.68m) meant she finished ahead of Sagnia, even though the Swede had jumped farther (6.85m) earlier in the competition.Ten days after winning at the Continental Tour Gold meeting in Zagreb, USA's Payton Chadwick notched up another victory in the women's 100m hurdles. Cindy Ofili started well but faded over the final few barriers, while Taliyah Brooks finished strongly, but Chadwick held on to win in 12.78. Brooks was second in a PB of 12.86.Earlier in the evening, Arthur Cisse took almost half a second off his PB to win the 200m in an Ivorian record of 20.23 in his first race over the distance since May 2018. Since the start of 2019, Cisse has now set national records for 60m, 100m and 200m – all of which had previously been held by Ben Youssef Meite, the only other Ivorian man to win at a Diamond League meeting.USA's Kahmari Montgomery finished strongly in the 400m, overtaking Asian champion Yousef Karam on the final bend before going on to win in 45.55. Karam was second in 45.72.​

All set for season-ending Wanda Diamond League in Doha

DOHA, September 24, 2020-There is excitement in the air as international athletics makes a return to Doha at the final leg of the abridged version of the 2020 Wanda Diamond League at the Qatar Sports Club, home of athletics in Doha, on Friday, September 25.A total of 27 Olympics and World medallists, including six reigning world champions and three reigning Olympic champions, are leading a star cast of about 116 athletes who have made it to Doha this year despite the global coronavirus pandemic.The revised 12-event programme, the fourth and final competitive meeting of the season, will feature sprint hurdles and 800m for both men and women; 100m, 3000m and long jump for women; and 200m, 400m, 1500m and pole vault for men.Now in its 11th consecutive year, the Wanda Diamond League in Doha is regarded as one of the most successful in the prestigious series. This year's edition is particularly significant as it rounds up a year where the global pandemic has significantly affected sports events across the world.Addressing a press conference on Thursday, September 24, Khalid Al Marri, the Assistant Meeting Director of the 2020 Wanda Diamond League Doha, noted that the organisers had worked tirelessly to deliver an event of the highest standards in order to ensure that the international athletics family is finishing the last leg of the Wanda Diamond League in Doha with a great experience."It is a pleasure to host you all here once again, as we bring you this event under unusual conditions that are affecting sport globally. I want to thank each of you for joining us here today and helping us promote the very best of athletics. We wish all of the athletes the best of luck, and we hope that they have everything they need to give their best," he said.At the press conference were the two-time world pole vault champion and the defending champion in Doha Sam Kendricks of the USA, double Olympic sprint champion Elaine Thompson-Herah of Jamaica, and the Kenyan duo of Hellen Obiri, the Olympic 5000m silver medallist and 2019 World Cross Country champion, and Timothy Cheruiyot (Kenya), the world 1500m champion, who will be competing in the 800m race.Nothing much has changed despite the unusual year: Thompson-HerahJamaica's double Olympic champion Elaine Thompson-Herah said her racing and training experiences haven't changed too much despite 2020 being an unusual year in many ways."As a sprinter, you have to learn to block everything else out anyway, so I've got used to racing in a stadium without any fans," she said. "Nothing much has changed with my training. My coach is a genius, though, so I do what he tells me to do."The 28-year-old who won the 100m in a world-leading 10.85 at last week's Rome meeting added that she was a little bit surprised with her run in Rome."I hadn't raced for a few weeks, but I knew I was capable of running fast because I'd put in the work. I'm grateful to have had the opportunity to race in Rome and Doha. I'd raced a few times in Jamaica, but the level and intensity of competition weren't the same."Advising the upcoming generations, Thompson-Herah, the fourth-fastest in the women's 100m history, said, "Please enjoy life as much as you can, and don't rush. There are lots of opportunities ahead and take things one step at a time."The Jamaican will go head-to-head with multiple World Championships medallist Marie-Josée Ta Lou (Ivory Coast) in the women's 100m.Positivity, the watchword for Kendricks Rio 2016 Olympic Games bronze medallist and two-time world pole vault champion Sam Kendricks remains optimistic about the unusual season despite its many challenges."I'm just so grateful because meeting organisers have gone above and beyond to make sure competitions can happen. It's been an adventure. We've all just kind of rolled with it this year, and that's been cool.""You get to put the whole world aside when you step on to the track," he added. "And when you're on it, time goes fast and the whole world melts away.""Not that I don't care about the problems of the world, but they don't matter when you're standing there on the track. At that moment, it's all about how fast you can run or how high you can jump."On his rivalry with Sweden's Armand "Mondo" Duplantis, the 18-time Diamond League winner said, "If you want to compete, especially against Mondo, then you have to get ready and be willing to jump higher than anyone did."Duplantis jumped 6.15 in Rome last week to hold the world record in both the indoors and outdoors.Cheruiyot in Doha to test speed enduranceThe world 1500m champion Timothy Cheruiyot will be competing in unfamiliar "territory" as he steps out on the track tomorrow to participate in the 800m race on a global stage for the first time in his career."I chose to do the 800m here because I wanted to test my speed endurance," he said. "All of my 800m races have been in Kenya, so I'm excited to do an 800m in the Diamond League."I need to work on my speed endurance because it's an important part of 1500m running. Last year in Lausanne, I ran the first 800m in 1:49 but still finished in 3:28.77, just outside my PB (3:28.41). I know I have endurance, but I lack a bit in my finishing speed, so that's what I want to work on."The 24-year-old, who has won 16 consecutive races since his defeat by compatriot Elijah Motonei Manangoi at last year's meeting in Doha, added that he feels blessed to be able to race despite the challenges of 2020.It's going to be like a championship race: ObiriHellen Obiri, the 5000m World champion and silver medallist at the 2016 Rio Games, expects the women's 3000m to be more of a championship race than a Diamond League competition considering the quality of the field in Doha.Friday's race will bring together Kenyan quartet Hellen Obiri and Beatrice Chepkoech, 2019 world champions over 5000m and 3000mSC respectively. Additionally, Olympic 3000mSC silver medallist Hyvin Kiyeng; world 5000m runner-up Margaret Chelimo Kipkemboi; world 1500m bronze medallist Gudaf Tsegay (Ethiopia); and world 10,000m bronze medallist Agnes Jebet Tirop (Kenya) are also in the fray of what promises to be the most exciting event of the night tomorrow. "I expect a tough challenge tomorrow, the Cross Country champion said. "I've trained well, and when I train well I have no doubts in a race," said the world cross-country champion. "Whenever I line up for a race, I'm focused on doing my best. I don't feel the pressure. Maybe I'll do something special."I've always enjoyed racing in Doha," she added. "In 2014 I set my PB over 3000m (8:20.68), and last year I won the World Championships here. I like racing here because it's favourable to me."