Rashed Nawaf takes second place in Orange Bowl International Tennis Championship

Miami, December 24, 2019-Qatar's Rashed Nawaf claimed the second place at the 57th edition of Junior Orange Bowl International Tennis Championship held in Miami, USA from December 14-23, 2019. The Annual Junior Orange Bowl International Tennis Championship is one of the most important and prestigious junior tennis tournaments in the world. This globally recognized event brings together over 1,500 of the top ranked male and female 12-and-under and 14-and-under junior players representing more than 76 countriesIn the final match, Nawaf suffered a 6-4 6-3 defeat at the hands of Nishesh Basavareddy. "I'm proud of taking the second place in prestigious tournament as it was really an exciting week for me" said Rashed Nawaf after the match. "I think the semifinals match which lasted for more than 4 hours had its toll on me during the final match. " he added. In his route to the final, the Qatari player edged past Rodrigo Mendez in the semifinals, Lennon Jones in the quarterfinals, Nikita Filin in last 16 round, Benjamin Kreynes in the last 32 round. ​

Curtains come down on Qatar International Weightlifting Cup

DOHA, December 24, 2019-Qatar's Fares Ibrahim Hassouna and India's Mirabai Chanu were selected as the best athletes at Qatar International Weightlifting Cup concluded in Doha on Monday. Hassouna claimed the gold of Men's 96 kg category and secured his spot in Tokyo 2020 Olympics while Former world champion weightlifter Mirabai Chanu notched up the women's 49kg category gold medal. Hassouna cleared a total of 404kg in the 96kg category after lifting 176kg in snatch and 226kg in clean and jerk.Kianoush Rostam took the silver with 403kg (178kg snatch, 225kg clean and jerk) while the bronze medal went to Ali Miri who lifted 371kg in total (162kg snatch, 207 clean and jerk).Chanu won gold with an effort of 194kg in the Olympic qualifying event. She lifted 83kg in snatch and 111kg in clean and jerk to finish on top of the podium.This year's championship, hosted by the Qatar Weightlifting Federation (QWF) under the auspices of the International Weightlifting Federation, featured the participation of more than 150 lifters representing 42 countries. ​

Fares Hassouna qualifies to Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games

DOHA, December 23, 2019-Qatar's Fares Ibrahim Hassouna bagged two gold medals at the Qatar International Cup Weightlifting Championships on way to securing his spot at the Tokyo Olympics next year.Fares, who is a junior world champion and a world silver medallist at the senior level, won the 96kg class at the Radisson Blu Hotel in Doha yesterday much to the joy of Qatari fans at the venue.Fares beat Iranian competitors for his gold medals, lifting 228kg in the clean and jerk and 404kg in total.“I am very happy and with my effort today," said Fares, who finished seventh at the Rio Olympics as an 18-year-old.“I was very young when I took part in the first Olympics but now I am experienced and much more confident. Hopefully I can win a medal in Tokyo next year," added the 21-year-old. Iran's Kianoush Rostami finished second while his compatriot Ali Miri was third. Rostami won the snatch title with 178kg. Miri's best in the snatch was just 162kg.Fares beat Rostami in all the three attempts in the clean and jerk to ensure his first gold medal. While the Qatari recorded 213, 223 and 228kg, the Iranian hoisted 210, 220 and 225kg, which allowed Fares to win the second gold with a difference of just one kilo.Azerbaijan's Minkova Kastova Boyanka made a clean sweep of all the three gold medals in the women's 59kg class, Latvia's Rebeka Koha and Romania's Irina Lacramiora Lepsa was third.North Korean Choe Hyo Sim emerged the champion in the women's 64kg category, totaling 229kg, eight kilos more than second-placed Italian Giorgia Bordignon's attempt. The North Korean was second to Bordignon in the snatch but won the remaining two sections to stamp her class. The bronze medal went to Indian Rakhi Halder, who was fifth in the snatch but did well in the clean and jerk to finish second with 123kg, which helped her secure the third spot in the total.

Sheikh Joaan meets President of International Weightlifting Federation

Doha, December 23, 2019-(QNA) - HE the President of Qatar Olympic Committee (QOC) Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al-Thani met with HE President of International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) Tamas Ajan, who is on a visit to Doha to attend the sixth Qatar International Weightlifting Championship.During the meeting, His Excellency welcomed the IWF President, wishing him a pleasant stay in Doha, and praising the fruitful cooperation between the Qatari and international federations of the game.IWF President praised the prominent position of the State of Qatar in the sports field and the organizational and technical level of the Qatar International Weightlifting Championship.The QOC Secretary-General Jassim bin Rashid Al Buenain and President of Qatar Fencing and Weightlifting Federation Mohammed Yousef Al Mana attended the meeting.The meeting discussed aspects of cooperation between the Qatari and international federations and ways to support and develop them. (QNA)

Liverpool win FIFA Club World Cup

DOHA, December 22, 2019 - European champions Liverpool showed how winning has become a habit for them with a battling performance at the Khalifa International Stadium on Saturday.​Roberto Firmino scored the winner in the 99th minute of a pulsating match in which Flamengo showed that they had absolutely no regard for reputations.It was Liverpool's first Club World Cup title and it was also a revenge of sorts for the Reds who had lost to Flamengo in the Intercontinental Cup final in 1981.With FIFA chief Gianni Infantino and HE Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani watching, Liverpool started off in their usual high octane style and in the very first minute, Trent Alexander Arnold, found Firmino with a lovely pass only for the Brazilian to uncharacteristically sky his shot.Liverpool were all over their rivals in the opening period as Sadio Mane missed a chance, a sitter by his standards, failing to hit the target after Salah's layoff.A few minutes later Alexander Arnold's shott just whizzed past the far upright as Liverpool displayed the dazzling array of weapons in their armoury.After surviving the initial onslaught Flamengo started to pass the ball around with confidence.Bruno Henrique was Flamengo's sharpest player and the left-winger kept Virgil van Dijk and his fellow defenders constantly on their toes with his close control, pace and bending runs into space to beat the offside track.Henrique got the better of Alexander Arnold, one of the best right-backs in the Premier League, on more than one occasion and once it needed a last-ditch tackle from Joseph Gomez to stop him from taking a shot at Alisson's goal.Midfielder Willian Arao also was at the top of his game for Flamengo covering each and every strand of grass on the pitch as he battled to deny Liverpool the advantage in the midfield.Liverpool started the second half just as they did in the first, in whirlwind fashion, and in the 46th minute, Firmino came even closer to finding the opener.Liverpool's Brazilian star expertly latched on to pass from Henderson and nonchalantly flicked the ball over an approaching Pablo Mari but his shot hit the upright and rolled across the goal line.Just four minutes later Salah spurned another chance hitting Alexander Arnold's cross wide of the target.Then it was Flamengo's turn to attack and Gabriel Barbosa drew a fine save from Alisson, the first of the match, with an angular shot.After the initial flurry of chances at both ends, the game slowed down a bit but Flamengo were giving Liverpool constant reminders that they are capable of producing moments of Brazilian magic.One such occasion saw Barbosa connecting Henrique's cross with an acrobatic back volley which nearly caught Alisson by surprise around the hour mark.Salah managed to put the ball in the Liverpool net in the 76th minute but was pulled off for offside. A couple of minutes later he had another chance but this time the Egyptian failed to connect Andy Robertson's cross from left.He was then shown a yellow card for a dangerous tackle on substitute Vitinho.Liverpool were threatening to deal a sucker punch as Jordan Henderson saw his shot tipped over the bar by Diego Alves.And it seemed they had got one when Abdulrahman Al Jassim awarded them a penalty after Rafinha appeared to have tripped Sadio Mane who was clear on goal, but the Qatari referee reversed his decision after VAR check.​With both teams failing to break the deadlock, the match moved into extra time where Vitinho showed his skills to put Liverpool under pressure.But finally, in the 99th minute, the goal Liverpool fans have been waiting for, arrived.Henderson tracked Mane's run through the middle with a perfect ball from midfield and the Senegal striker, in turn, found Firminho. The Brazilian dragged the ball back which wrong-footed keeper Alves and defender Rodrigo Ciao before firing a right-footer into an empty net. Just two minutes Salah saw his shot tipped over the bar by Alves but it did not matter as substitute Lincoln missed a fine chance to bring Flamengo back into the match.

Main round of second Men’s ITF World Tennis Tour gets underway

DOHA, December 18, 2019 - The main round competitions of the second edition of Men's ITF World Tennis Tour 2019 organized by the Qatar Tennis, Squash and Badminton Federation in cooperation with the International Tennis Federation (ITF) kicked off at Khalifa International Tennis and Squash Complex in Doha on Tuesday.The competitions are bringing together 32 players to compete in the Men's single event, while 16 teams will compete in the double event.Elite Qatari players from the QTSBF including Mousa Shanan, Naser Al Yafe and Rayan Al Almi have received wild cards to participate in the prestigious event.The week long event, is witnessing a young professional players from across the world.