HH the Amir Participates in National Sport Day's Activities

Doha, February 13, 2019- HH the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani participated in the activities of Qatar Sport Day on Tuesday, as His Highness visited Aspire Zone Foundation's Football Skills Development Center.During the visit, His Highness participated in different kinds of sport activities held by members of the Aspire Academy in the playground. His Highness was also briefed on the facilities of the Center and on the state-of-the-art technology used to train and develop the skills of its members.HH the Amir was accompanied during the visit by HH Personal Representative of the Amir Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al-Thani, HE President of Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) Gianni Infantino, and senior officials of the Qatar Football Association and Aspire Zone Foundation. (QNA)

IAAF WORLD ATHLETICS CHAMPIONSHIPS DOHA 2019 UNVEILS FALAH THE WINNING MASCOT DESIGN

DOHA, February 13, 2019 - Following a nationwide competition, the winning design of the mascot for the Middle East's first-ever World Athletics Championships was announced on the country's annual National Sports Day.Falah, an athletic falcon emblazoned in the Qatari flag's maroon colour, was unveiled as the official mascot of the IAAF World Athletics Championships Doha 2019 at a specially-held ceremony at Qatar Foundation's Awsaj Academy, attended by President HE Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al-Thani, President of the Qatar Olympic Committee (QOC) and a host of current and future Team Qatar athletes. However, the most important guests of the event were the 490 children from a diverse range of local and international schools across Doha, who took part in a series of sports related activities to celebrate the launch of Falah with the help of Team Qatar's 400M runner Mariam Farid and a group of Aspire Academy's promising athletes. On National Sports Day, an annual public holiday in Qatar, the children participated in different inspiring and educational sports activities, coordinated by the IAAF and implemented though the Qatar Athletics Federation and Tsukuba University, who are part of the Tokyo 2020 legacy programme, Sports For Tomorrow. The University of Tsukuba has cooperated with the IAAF in inspiring young children through sport through their respective Nanairo Ekiden and Kids' Athletics programmes in this joint effort which started in Rio in 2016 and will conclude in Tokyo in 2020.The selection of Falah followed a thorough and detailed process in which a total of 21 sketches were submitted to the Local Organising Committee (LOC) from residents of Qatar before a multi-staged voting process took place to decide the winner. Young ambassadors aged 8-16 were invited to vote for their favourite designs as Team Qatar's hammer thrower Ashraf Amgad El Seify introduced and explained the sketches to them.Explaining her vote for Falah, nine-year-old Maria from Park House School said: “I really like falcons, so I liked Falah a lot and he also looks like a superhero in his outfit which is what athletes are. So strong, powerful, and fast!"Speaking during the milestone event, Vice Chairman and Director General of the Local Organising Committee and Vice President of the IAAF, Dahlan Al Hamad, said: “Falah represents the pursuit of excellence and symbolises the importance of always giving your very best in everything you do. These are the values and ambitions of the LOC, as we look to deliver an event that inspires a new generation and welcomes fans from all corners of the world. “As a falcon Falah can fly freely into new horizons without boundaries and that is our approach shaping and supporting athletics of the future. We want to showcase this wonderful sport to new audiences and more people than ever before, and engage new young athletes across Qatar, the region and the world. That can only happen if people take flight and join us by descending into Doha for the first ever IAAF World Championships in the Middle East, so the spirit of flight and adventure really connected with us through Falah.“Athletics for Falah is a way to show the world how to be a true athlete. He is competitive, courageous, and helpful like no other. He is loyal, funny, helps his friends and often shows off his athletic moves," said Theodore Paul Manuel, the Filipino expat who created Falah.Manuel, who has called Qatar home since 2010, received a financial prize for his winning design, but the real prize will be watching Falah take centre stage at the World Championships in September, and inspire thousands of children as he visits schools and sports clubs across the country on his journey to the World Championships. “I'm very excited that my idea will become a reality. I want to see how Falah inspires the event especially amongst the younger generation," Manuel said.On a day filled with energy and action, the younger children, aged 5-8, took part in the IAAF's signature Kids' Athletics programme, one of the biggest grassroots development programmes in the world of sports. Kids' Athletics aims to introduce children to the basics of running, jumping and throwing in a fun way, and promote their interest in athletics and a healthy lifestyle. The older children, aged 9-13, took part in the Nanairo Ekiden, an inclusive relay race based on the traditional Japanese ekiden relay, with teams identified by T-shirts in the seven colours of the rainbow (nanairo), each representing one of the Olympic, Paralympic and IAAF values: Excellence, Courage, Inspiration/Commitment/Determination, Friendship, Respect, Integrity/Fair-Play and Equality/Inclusiveness. Teams consisted of a mix of participants, including children of both genders, disabled athletes and star runners, who all joined efforts towards a common goal.As well as the sport activities, the children also participated in a series of workshops around a variety of themes, ranging from Sustainability (raising awareness in young children of the impact their small actions have on the environment), Values (with a focus on Friendship and Inclusiveness), Adaptive Sports (to make the children aware of the difficulties faced by athletes with disabilities and how these can be overcome) and Japanese and Qatari Culture. QADC and JADA also staged a joint I Play True activity, to relay the message of Truth in sport, and collect messages on this theme in the lead-up to Tokyo 2020.Building on the exciting reveal of Falah, the LOC has confirmed that the world's greatest athletics collection is coming to Doha thanks to the IAAF Heritage World Athletics Championships Exhibition, 1983 to 2019. The exhibition is poised to give school children and fans alike from the local community a unique chance to see the values of Falah come to life through an unrivalled collection of athletics memorabilia, showcasing the sports greatest ever figures including Sprint kings Jesse Owens, Carl Lewis, Usain Bolt. Supported by text, photographic and video displays, the exhibition focusses on the 35-year history of the IAAF World Athletics Championships which were inaugurated in 1983 and is set to open for a six-month period from the 18th April 2019 in City Center Doha shopping mall, West Bay Area, Doha. Doha will be welcoming 2000 athletes from 213 countries along with approximately 10,000 international guests, 30,000 spectators from outside Qatar and media representatives from around the world. The third biggest sporting event in the world will be broadcasted to more than 200 countries. The competition will be held from 27 September to 6 October at Khalifa International Stadium. Ticket packages for the widely anticipated event went on sale for fans and families across the world in September. With seat prices starting at an affordable €14, tickets have been selling well with some categories selling out eight months ahead of the opening ceremony.Event and ticketing information are available on the official website at https://iaafworldathleticschamps.com/doha2019/tickets or by following @IAAFDoha2019 on social media.

QOC celebrates National Sport Day in cooperation with Ministry of Education and Higher Education

Doha, February 13, 2019 – The Qatar Olympic Committee (QOC), in cooperation with the Ministry of Education and Higher Education, celebrated the eighth edition of the National Sport Day at Al Yarmouk Preparatory School for Boys yesterday.The event was attended by HE President of the Qatar Olympic Committee (QOC) Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al-Thani and HE Minister of Education and Higher Education Dr. Mohammed Abdul Wahed Al Hammadi, with the participation of sports federations and families, in addition to the participation of 600 students from the fifth to ninth grade, including 20 students with special needs.HE Second Vice President of the QOC Thani bin Abdulrahman Al Kuwari, HE Undersecretary of the Ministry of Education and Higher Education Dr. Ibrahim bin Saleh Al Nuaimi, Secretary-General of the QOC, Jassim bin Rashid Al Buenain, as well as our Olympic champion Mutaz Barshim and Qatar national football team took part in the event.The event comes within the framework of cooperation between the QOC and the Ministry of Education and Higher Education. The partnership between the two parties is in many programs, resulting in several projects that focus on the importance of school sports in discovering and polishing talents. This is done through several programs including the Schools Olympic Program.Several associations and teams participated in celebrating the National Sport Day including Qatar Taekwondo and Judo team, Qatar Golf Association, Qatar Volleyball Association, Qatar Tennis, Squash and Badminton Federation, and Qatar Swimming Association.The Qatar Winter Sport Committee of Qatar Olympic Committee (QWSC) held its activities in Villaggio on the occasion of the national sport day, where a show match was held between Finnish and Canadian ice hockey teams.The QWSC Secretary General Hassan Hassam Al Hababi said that sport day encourages citizens and families to practice sport and make it an essential part of the lifestyle and that everyone should continue to practice sport throughout the year and not only during the national sport day.

Qatar Total Open gets underway

DOHA, February 12, 2019 Barbora Strycova of the Czech Republic on Monday became the first player to reach the second round of the Qatar Total Open with a straight-set win over Fatma Al Nabhani of Oman. Strycova won 6-1, 6-1.Australian qualifier Ajla Tomljanovic on Monday beat Polona Hercog of Slovenia to reach the main round of the tournament.Tomljanovic won 6-3, 6-4 in 1 hour 46 minutes on the Center Court. Croatian-born Australian Tomljanovic, still without a WTA Tour title, fired two aces in her hard-fought win.In another qualifying match, Karolina Muchova of the Czech Republic beat Liudmila Samsonova of Russia in three sets. Muchova won 6-1, 3-6, 6-1 in 1 hour 46 minutes on Court Number 1. Muchova fired 6 aces in her gutsy win.The qualifying match between Samantha Stosur of Australia and Russia's Anna Blinkova was stopped because of rain. Blinkova eventually won the match 7-6, 3-6, 6-4. In another qualifying match, China's Lin Zhu beat Alison Riske 6-2, 6-1.The winner in Doha this Saturday will get $158,895 and 470 rankings points while the losing finalist will bag $84,850 and 305 points. The two losing semi-finalists get $45,320 each while the players who exit the tournament at the quarter-finals stage get richer by $24,360 each.Simona Halep of Romania, Karolina Pliskova of the Czech Republic, Angelique Kerber of Germany and Elina Svitolina of Ukraine are the top four seeds in Qatar this week

Qatar Celebrates National Sports Day on Tuesday

DOHA, February 12, 2019 - The State of Qatar will celebrate the National Sports Day on Tuesday with the participation of citizens and residents from all segments of society. The celebration comes in implementation of Amiri Decision No. 80 of 2011, which stipulates that second Tuesday of February of each year shall be a sports day for the state in order to encourage everyone to participate in sporting activities with family members and colleagues during the day. The first sports day in Qatar was held in 2012.This year's sports day is particularly remarkable, especially as it comes amidst Qatar's joy of the great and historic achievement achieved by the national football team recently after crowning the 2019 Asian Cup champions.The Sports Day Committee organizes many sports events launched by the Ministry of Culture and Sports and the Qatar Sports For All Federation (QSFA), including a number of events that will be innovative this year, such as the fun race or balloon race at Al Bida'a Park, along with special events in Aspire Zone, Katara, and the Corniche. In addition, all Qatari clubs will be dedicated to many sporting events. The public parks will also be ready for sports events tomorrow.The sports day is a unique initiative in the world and is dedicated to highlighting the concept of the importance of sport in the lives of members of communities. The sports day also highlights the leadership's interest in the person who is the real wealth to achieve Qatar National Vision 2030, as health and sports are among its main pillars, especially that sport has become a necessity in the lives of individuals and is no longer a kind of entertainment, and the first line of defense to cope with many diseases.These events help in raising the awareness of the importance of sport in Qatari society. The Qatar Olympic Committee (QOC) will celebrate Tuesday in cooperation with the Ministry of Education and Higher Education the sports day at Al Yarmouk Preparatory School for Boys with the participation of sports federations, families and children. All participants will take part in various sporting activities alongside thousands of citizens and residents.The event comes within the framework of cooperation between QOC and the Ministry of Education and Higher Education. The partnership between the two parties is in many programs, resulting in several projects that focus on the importance of school sports in discovering and polishing talents. This is done through several programs including the Schools Olympic Program, and other programs.QOC, through sports federations, will organize a number of events and activities for all categories and ages in order to attract the largest number of people possible. The Qatar Shooting and Archery Association is set to hold a large celebration of the state sports day with the participation of players and visitors.Katara will host a number of sports events, including a weightlifting show, and the public will be able to participate in these competitions for all age groups. The Katara boxing event will also be held at Katara in cooperation with the Qatar Boxing and Wrestling Federation.The Qatar Athletics Federation, in cooperation with the Ministry of Municipality and Environment, will hold competitions for children aged 8-12 years, while the Qatar Women's Sports Committee (QWSC) will organize various activities including mini games for children aged 5 to 13 in cooperation with KAHRAMAA. In cooperation with the Organizing Committee of the National Sport Day events in Katara, the QWSC will offer table tennis skills for various ages from 9:30 am to 1:30 pm.The Qatar Taekwondo and Judo team will hold karate exercises for all categories on Katara Beach throughout the morning, in addition to a taekwondo show from 12 noon to 3 pm, and a judo from 3 to 5 pm.Qatar Golf Association will organize mini Golf at Katara Beach throughout the day, while Qatar Cycling and Triathlon Federation will hold the all-day aquathlon swimming at Katara Corniche. The Qatar Volleyball Association will organize a beach volleyball event at 8 am and volleyball matches in association with KAHRAMAA. The Qatar Tennis, Squash and Badminton Federation will hold tennis games at 9 am for all categories. The fencing game will be held at 10 am at Qatar Mall and will be attended by Qatari fencing players. The Clement Academy will organize fencing matches at the Islamic Museum Park at 8 am.In addition, the Qatar Swimming Association organizes the 12-year-old swimming pool and less at 9 am at the Hamad Aquatics Complex, as well as water polo festival for the 18-year-old and less, and the diving festival for all age groups.The Organizing Committee of IAAF World Championships, in cooperation with the Qatar Athletics Federation, will offer athletic activities for children aged 5 to 7 years at Aspire Park.The QWSC, in cooperation with the Azizia Girls Center, will participate in the women's gymnastics at the QWSC's field, in addition to a handball match at the outdoor handball stadium of the committee, football matches, basketball games and table tennis matches in the outdoor arena of the QWSC. The Azizia Girls Center will organize some events such as cycling for women and children at the Azizia Girls Center in the outdoor arena of the QWSC along healthy food corner and healthy guidance corner.It should be noted that ministries and other government agencies, public bodies, institutions and entities, and all entities operating in the State, including the private sector, will organize sport activities on the State's sport day, in which employees will participate and aim to raise awareness about the importance of sport and its role in the lives of individuals and communities.

Fans enjoy fantastic cultural, social and entertainment activities at QOC Winter Camp

DOHA, February 10, 2019 - Sealine beach has seen impressive cultural, social and entertainment activities with engagement of a big number of winter camping pioneers at the QOC winter camp (Al Enna) this weekend.Friday's event had brought together community individuals representing different government and non-government organizations who enjoyed fantastic day with their families and relatives.Al Enna is a tourism development project that aims to enhance the winter camping experience in Qatar, protect the environment, and ensure public safety.It is spearheaded by NTC with the support of the Ministry of Municipality and Environment, the Ministry of Interior, the Public Works Authority Ashghal, Qatar Olympic Committee, Qatar Motor and Motorcycle Federation, Batabit, Mawater, Katara Hospitality, and QSports.