HH the Amir receives IAAF Golden Order of Merit

​Doha, October 7, 2019-(QNA) - HH the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani was awarded Sunday the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) Golden Order of Merit, in appreciation of His Highness' support and to the State of Qatar's hosting of the 17th World Athletics Championships.On behalf of HH the Amir, HE President of Qatar Olympic Committee (QOC), and chair of the World Athletics Championships organizing committee, Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al-Thani received the order of merit from HE President of the International Association of Athletics Federations Lord Sebastian Coe, on the sidelines of the closing ceremony of the championships hosted by Doha. (QNA)

Barshim wins High Jump gold at World Athletics Championships

DOHA, October 05, 2019-Qatar's Mutaz Essa Barshim sent the crowd wild on Friday winning the men's high jump title at the World Athletics Championships.The Qatari athlete defended the title he won in London back in 2017.Barshim took the gold medal with a jump of 2.37 metres but he didn't break the world record again.Mikhail Akimenko claimed the silver medal with 2.35m and Ilya Ivanyuk won the bronze with 2.35mBarshim was congratulated by HE President of the Qatar Olympic Committee Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al-Thani, who is the Chairman of the organizing committee. Barshim then toured the stadium to greet the fans that came to support him at Khalifa International Stadium.

Qatar’s gold hopes rest on Mutaz Essa Barshim

DOHA, October 5, 2019 - Qatar will be hoping for their first gold at Doha World Championships when Mutaz Essa Barshim competes in the high jump final at the Khalifa International Stadium on Friday.Mutaz, sidelined for almost a year after suffering an ankle injury in 2018 July at Gyulai Memorial in Szekesfehervar, Hungary, moved into the final without much trouble on Tuesday with his season's best of 2.29m, but he will have to improve upon that performance to defend his world title.At the London Worlds, the 28-year-old had not found his roaring form which he was in before he got injured, but he still managed to win gold with relative ease with an effort of 2.35, and a repeat of that performance is all he needs on Friday.The Olympic silver medallist, as always, was confident about his chances.“I am happy with the start, no complaints. Hopefully, I can come back on Friday and do my best," said Mutaz after Tuesday's qualifying round.“It is home and I feel really good jumping. Today was very important for me because I was pushing myself the whole season to jump well at home. Despite the fact that people are sometimes very critical, I am happy to compete here and, hope to come back in the final and do the hard job," he said.For Mutaz, who has been aggressively chasing Cuban Javier Sotomayor's world record of 2.45 — he got injured while going for a 2.46 attempt after clearing 2.43 — the main fight is against himself as his rivals do not have any chance of catching him if he is in form and full fitness.Neutral athletes Ilya Ivanyuk, 2.33 and Mikhail Akimenko, who both cleared 2.29 all the heights are ready to pounce if Mutaz does not find his rhythm while a host of others including Yu Wang of China and Gianmarco Tamberi of Italy would also be considering themselves as clear medal contenders. Majd Eddin Ghazal of Syria and Bohdan Bondarenko of Ukraine, who both had fought hard with Mutaz in the past, disappointed.Mutaz knows he is not at his best and the trick for him is to get the maximum without putting too much pressure on himself as the Olympics is just around the corner.

QOC Second Vice President meets French Ambassador for Sport

Doha, October 04, 2019 - HE Second Vice President of the Qatar Olympic Committee (QOC) Dr. Thani bin Abdulrahman Al Kuwari, who is also the Vice Chairman of the IAAF World Athletics Championships organizing committee, met Thursday with HE French Ambassador for Sport Laurence Fischer, who is currently visiting the country to attend the competition.The meeting dealt with bilateral cooperation in the fields of sport, and the means to enhance them in the coming period.The meeting was attended by Secretary-General of the QOC Jassim bin Rashid Al Buenain.​

Team Qatar claim two bronze medals in Asian Age Group Swimming Championships 2019

Bengaluru, October 03, 2019-(QNA) - Qatar's Mohammed Shweiter won the bronze medal for the 10-meter diving event at the 10th Asian Age Group Swimming Championships 2019 in Bengaluru, India.The bronze medal is the second for Qatar in the tournament as Mohammed Shweiter and his colleague Abdulaziz Balghith had previously won the bronze medal for the doubles diving event.Mohammed Shweiter won the silver medal of the diving competition of the for the 10-meter diving event in the last edition of Asian Age Group Swimming Championships held in the Uzbek capital Tashkent in 2017.

Expect the amazing with Qatar’s hosting of ANOC World Beach Games: Hashmi

Doha, October 3, 2019-With less than two weeks to the opening ceremony of the maiden edition of the Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC) World Beach Games Qatar 2019, preparations have reached a fever-pitch and all hands are on the deck to ensure an amazing experience for all participants, Ishaq Al Hashmi, Director of Sports Committee for the LOC of ANOC Beach Games, has said.“We are really excited about hosting this event as it is another wonderful opportunity to host the world and showcase how passionate we are about sports in Qatar. All arrangements have been perfected to ensure a hitch-free event and, as usual, the world will witness Qatar at its sporting best come October 12. This is another history in the making and it is a great privilege that we are the first country in the world to be opportune to host an event of such magnitude," he said.The five-day ANOC World Beach Games, also known as Qatar 2019, will kick off with a spectacular opening ceremony at the Beach side of the Katara Cultural Village in Doha on October 12.“Aside from having some of the best sports facilities in the world, organizing mega sports events have almost become a second nature to us in Qatar. We have held some of the biggest events in global sports with great applause and the ANOC World Beach Games comes as part of our commitment to the development of sports worldwide as well as promoting global peace through sports," Hashmi said.Hashmi added that with over 1,200 athletes from 97 NOCs, representing all the five continents, participating at the event, Qatar 2019 is a sort of “Olympics for Beach Sports".“As we all know, there has never been anything like this in the history of beach sports. There've been several competitions at continental levels but never something that brings the whole world together for beach sports. It is a unique experience for us in Qatar and I believe the effects of this event will last for a long time not only in Qatar but the entire region as well. It is a thing of pride to us and to the region," he added.Hashmi noted that hosting the event in Qatar will have tremendous impacts on beach sports in the country as it has the potential of popularizing the sports and at the same time attracts more participants.“One of the great legacies of hosting Qatar 2019 is the benefits to beach sports in Qatar. We have beautiful beaches all around the country and I believe we'll be witnessing interests from the populace in beach sports in Qatar going forward. We've been doing well in some of the disciplines like volleyball and handball, where we've conquered the continent of several occasions, now it is the time for us to have major impacts in other disciplines as well and the competition will definitely help us in achieving that," he said.ANOC World Beach Games is featuring 13 sports across 14 disciplines. Featured sports include aquathlon, 3X3 basketball, climbing bouldering, beach handball, karate kata individual, kitefoil racing, skateboarding, beach soccer, open water 5km swimming, beach tennis, beach volleyball 4X4, waterski, wakeboard and beach wrestling.As per the schedule, aquathlon, 3X3 basketball, karate kata individual, kitefoil racing, beach soccer, open water 5km swimming, beach tennis and beach wrestling will all take place at Katara Beach while Al Gharafa will be the venue for beach handball and beach volleyball 4X4. Climbing bouldering and skateboarding, on the other hand, will be hosted at Aspire Park and Ritz Carlton Canal will take care of the waterski and wakeboard events.