Qatar Asian Junior Tournament to begin on Monday

Doha, April 08, 2019-Qatar 1st Asian Junior U-14 Tournament will begin on Monday at the Khalifa International Tennis and Squash Complex.The tournament is organized by the Qatar Tennis, Squash and Badminton Federation in cooperation with the Asian Tennis Federation and will bring together 60 players vying for the title.Rashed Nawaf will lead Qatar's challenge in the tournament as he will participate in the event upon his Asian ranking. The federation also provided some of its players with Wild Cards including; Fae Al Boloushi, Sheikha Khalifa, Hend Al Modhahka, Nasser Al Yafei, Meshari Nawaf and Ali Yafei.Khalid Al Khelaifi, Board Member of the Qatar Tennis, Squash and Badminton Federation and Head National Teams Committee wished all success for the Qatari players participating in the tournament and stressed that the federation spares no effort to support its national teams and provide them with all possible opportunities to improve their levels.“The Asian Junior Tennis Tournament comes in light of the federation's strategy improve tennis in the state of Qatar and the Asian continent." Al Khelaifi said.It worth mentioning that the Federation will hold another tournament for juniors under 17 years from April 15-19, 2019.

Asian Athletics Championships set to welcome continent’s top athletes to Doha

Doha, April 08, 2019-Several world and Asian champions will go head-to-head in Doha in two weeks' time to compete for top honours in Asian athletics when Khalifa International Stadium hosts the 23rd Asian Athletics Championships from 21 to 24 April.Nearly 700 elite Asian athletes from 44 nations will be competing for 186 medals in 21 men's events, 21 women's events, and a mixed relay event that makes its debut in the Asian athletics showpiece.As the competition brings together the usual Asian powerhouses in athletics, China is set to go all the way in attempts to maintain its continental dominance and reclaim the top position that India won in the previous edition.China's ranks at the 23rd Asian Athletics Championships boast female shot putter Gong Lijiao, a 2017 World Championships gold medallist and two-time Olympic medallist, and Li Ling, Asian Games champion in 2014 and 2018 in pole vault.Lu Huihui, a two-time world medallist in javelin throw; Chen Yang, Asian Games title holder in discus throw; and Wang Chunyu, the Asian Games reigning champion in 800 metres, will all feature at Khalifa International Stadium.On the men's side of athletes, China's team includes the likes of Xie Wenjun, Asian Games champion in 2014 and 2018 in 100m hurdles, who will be looking to maintain his continental dominance.China's path to the top place will not be easy though as the team are likely to face strong competition from other elite athletes taking part in the event.Hosts Qatar will be aiming to finish as high as possible in the competition's medal table, and they have the personnel to back that bid up.Qatar's two-time Olympic medallist Mutaz Barshim will lead a line-up of 29 athletes representing the home nation in the Asian showpiece. The 27-year-old high jumper, who holds the Asian record and the third-best world record, is fit again after suffering an injury last year.Team Qatar for the 23rd Asian Athletics Championships will also include 400-metre sprinter Abdalelah Haroun, 400-metre hurdler Abderrahman Samba and hammer thrower Ashraf El Seify who all won gold medals at the Asian Games 2018 in their respective disciplines.The team also boast promising female sprinter Mariam Farid and hammer thrower Rania Al Naji who will attempt to make their mark on the continental stage.“Our athletes are ready to make the country proud. We prepared well for this competition and we realize how great an opportunity it is to build on our success at the Asian Games and brace ourselves for the World Championships in September," said Qatar Athletics Federation President Dr. Thani Abdulrahman Al Kuwari.Meanwhile, last edition's winners India will be another team to watch thanks to the pool of talent they have, which was able to finally dethrone China who had won a record 17 consecutive editions since 1983.India's 19-year-old sensation Dima Has will try to build on her performance from the 2018 Asian Games where she won a gold medal in the 4x400m event. The promising sprinter is also the reigning world U20 champion in 400m.Mohammad Anas Yahiya is another Indian athlete with potential to reach the podium. The sprinter, who specialises in 400m, claimed three silver medals in last year's Asian Games in the individual 400m, men's 4x400m and the mixed 4x400.“Asian Athletics Championships Doha 2019 is a very important competition for our athletes as it will serve as a build-up not just for the World Championships 2019 but also provides a good competition to our athletes who are preparing for qualification for Tokyo 2020 Olympics. We are expecting a similar show from our Athletes as was in 2017 where India topped the overall medals tally with a total of 29 medals. This time too we are expecting to win between 25 to 30 medals," said Athletics Federation of India President Adille J. Sumariwalla.With a huge Indian expat community based in Doha, the Indian team will be counting on their compatriots to gain a home advantage in bid to retain their title.“We expect Indians staying in Qatar to turn up in big numbers to support Indian athletes. Fans turned out in large numbers in the last edition of the competition in Bhubaneswar, India, and it really pumped up our Athletes to give their best,"“Our message to Indian expats in Qatar is: We need you; we want you to fill up the stadium and we wish to see Indian Tri-Color flying high everywhere. Please come and watch athletics and support your team," Sumariwalla added.Among the top athletes featuring in the competition as well is Syria's Majd Eddin Ghazal. The high jumper, who celebrates his 32nd birthday on the opening day of the competition, is a bronze medallist in World Championships London 2017 and Asian Athletics Championships Bhubaneswar 2017.Hossein Keyhani is another athlete who will be looking to build on his recent successes. The Iranian runner secured gold medal in the 3000m steeplechase event at the Asian Games 2018, which he followed on from winning the same race in the Asian Indoor Championships.Asian Athletics Championships Doha 2019 is an official test event for the IAAF World Championships, which Doha hosts for the first time in the Middle East from 28 September to 6 October. All major operations, including the venue, transport and accommodation, are set to be trialled during the Asian competition to ensure a smooth and spotless experience during the global showpiece in less than six months.

GCC National Olympic Committees meeting begins

Muscat, April 8, 2019- The 88th meeting of the Executive Office of the Council of Presidents of GCC National Olympic Committees began in Muscat, Oman on Sunday with attendance of HE Mr. Jassim bin Rashed Al Buenain, Secretary General of the Qatar Olympic Committee.Several issues related to GCC sports were discussed during the meeting including holding a GCC Club league among the GCC elite clubs and honoring the sport leaders in the region.The joint meeting No. 15 of the executive office with the chairmen and representatives of GCC Games Organising Committees will be held on Monday.The recommendation of this meeting will be submitted to the meeting of Presidents of GCC National Olympic Committees to be held on Tuesday.

Qatar win West Asian Women Rugby Championship

DOHA, April 06, 2019-The Qatari women's national rugby team claimed the title of West Asian Rugby Championships after beating Lebanon 22-7 on Friday. The Qatari team began their campaign in the tournament with a 39-0 victory over Jordan then they defeated Qatar (B) team 21-5. Qatar (B) team finished third after their 27-5 victory over Jordan. Yousef Jeham Al Kuwari, President of the Qatar Rugby, Hockey and Cricket Federation and Chairman of organizing committee was delighted the achievement of Qatar women's ruby team. Al Kuwari stressed that state of Qatar has the best rugby team in west Asia as they claimed the title of West Asian Championship two times without a defeat.

Qatari Sport Receives Praises at Arab-German Sports Summit

BERLIN, April 6, 2019 - The two-day Arab-German (AGS) Sports Summit in concluded on Friday in Berlin, Germany with the participation of prominent political and sports figures in Germany, along with participants from several countries interested in sport, academia, and medicine.The second and final day of the summit witnessed several seminars and discussion sessions, the main theme of which was the Qatari sport, its impact on the global level and the successes it achieved in terms of development, achievements and championships in Qatar, including the 2019 World Championships in Athletics, the 2022 FIFA World Cup, and the 2023 World Swimming Championships. They also discussed the great role in sports medicine through the Aspetar hospital and Aspire Academy and its role in the preparation of athletes and other topics related to Qatar sport and achievements.In the presence of HE President of Qatar Olympic Committee (QOC) Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al-Thani, the first session witnessed a number of keynote speakers giving their speeches.Secretary-General of Arab-German Chamber of Commerce and Industry Abdulaziz Al Mikhlafi praised the holding of the AGS summit, as well as the presence of HE Sheikh Joaan, which gives a lot of momentum and attention to this event, that will have many positive repercussions in the coming period.In a speech at the first session, HE Ambassador of Qatar to Germany Sheikh Saoud bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani pointed to the importance of the AGS summit, adding, "The Germans hosted the World Cup in 2006 meanwhile the Arab world represented by the State of Qatar will host the World Cup in 2022. We all know what sport can do to a society, it is a vehicle for activities and development.""That's why today this event the 1st Arab German Sport summit has a great value. When you invest in Sport, you invest in the future of your country and the future of your generations," HE the Ambassador added.The sport contributed to the consolidation of unity among peoples and was the reason to stop conflicts in the darkest circumstances where the people meet and put aside their differences to raise the value of sportsmanship, HE the Ambassador said.He explained that the countries, that invest in sports, witness high levels of development in many areas where the sport is an engine for development through the physical legacy of infrastructure, which includes the establishment of stadiums and sports facilities, roads, airports, hotels, and cultural sites. He added that sports enhance human development in all its forms during the hosting of sporting events.For his part, Ambassador of Lebanon to Germany Dr. Mustapha Adib, Dean of the Arab Diplomatic Corps in Germany, thanked HE President of QOC Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al-Thani for attending this summit, noting the importance of Qatar's role in sport and its role in society. He pointed out that the world is looking forward to a distinguished edition of the World Cup in 2022 Qatar. HE QOC Secretary-General Jassim Al Buainain gave a special presentation on sports in Qatar during the session entitled "the Olympics and grand championships". He reviewed Qatar sport achievements and the great successes reached through the belief of the wise leadership in the value of sport and its positive impact on society.HE Al Buainain noted Qatar's keenness to set international standards for the major sporting events it has organized since the great success of the 15th Asian Games in 2006, and the further successes in the major tournaments such as the 2011 Arab Games, the 2015 Handball World Cup and the 2018 World Gymnastics Championships, as well as many other sporting aspects such as the Schools Olympic Program, and other initiatives.He noted that QOC celebrated its 40th anniversary several days ago in the framework of Qatar's keenness to become a supporter of the Olympic Movement.Director of Planning and Operations of IAAF World Athletics Championships, DOHA 2019, Fahad Juma said that the participation in the first AGS summit was very fruitful, adding that such a platform is of great importance and contributes to conveying clear messages about the Qatari work in sports and the interest enjoyed by the sport at the community level.Director General of the Anti-doping Lab Qatar Dr. Mohammed Al Maadheed said that sports medicine and its current status and future varies from country to another, depending on the proportion of practitioners of the sport. He added that according to international estimates, only one percent are professional athletes, 20 percent are amateur and 79 percent do not exercise, so Qatar is encouraging sports to increase the proportion and integrate those who do not exercise in sports.Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy (SC) Director of Health and Safety Abdullah Al Bushri explained Qatar's preparations for hosting the 2022 World Cup in a panel discussion entitled "football and the world cup 2022 in Qatar".Al Bushri was keen to clarify the latest developments at the level of the FIFA World Cup stadiums and the stages of work in each stadium, as well as the methods of safety and health, shedding light on the wonderful design of each stadium and its impact on hosting the tournament.Qatar will be the first country in the world to organize the World Cup and the distance between all the stadiums do exceed 55 km, and this will give players more rest and the fans will be able to watch more than one game per day, Al Bushri added.Khalil Al Jaber, QOC's Director of the Sports Affairs Department, and President of the 2023 World Swimming Championships in Doha, participated in a seminar titled 'great sports events and employment opportunities'.Al Jaber spoke about the ongoing preparations for the World Swimming Championships in Doha after 4 years. He explained that the preparations are being made for the global event that matches the value and reputation of Qatari sport.Lulwa Al Marri, Chairperson of Qatar Womens Sports Committee, highlighted the reality of women's sports in Qatar and the level reached during the past years after starting from point zero, adding that in a few years, many successes have been achieved.Al Marri's speech was impressive, especially since participants from Germany, in particular, did not have full knowledge of women's sport in Qatar.

Qatar to participate in ITTF-ATTU Asian Cup

DOHA, April 05, 2019- The Qatari table tennis team will participate in the 32nd ITTF-ATTU Asian Cup to begin in Yokohama, Japan on Friday. The state of Qatar will be represented by Mohammad Abdulrahman and Maha Flamerzi. Winner just under one year ago when the tournament was staged in early April, China's Fan Zhendong will try to defend his title in the upcoming edition. Gold medallist in Ahmedabad in 2017, last year the title defended successfully in Yokohama; China's Zhu Yuling returns to the Japanese city, her goal to make it three in a row and thus become the first player to achieve the feat in the tournament which started life in 1983 and witnessed success for her compatriot, Cao Yanhua.