Students shine in SOP Football Competitions

DOHA, January 23, 2019 – Secondary school students displayed impressive performance in football competitions of the Schools Olympic Program 2019 on Tuesday.In the group (A), Jordanian and International Pakistan schools progressed to the third round, after securing the first and second places in their respective group.In the group (B) Palestinian and Indian AMS cruised their way to the third round after occupied the first and second spots. While group (C) has seen Gulf English school and Qatar Canadian Academy booked their places in the third round.In the group (D), qualifiers were Tunisian and Heath profession schools who advanced to the third round, following their victories over Modern English school and Indian Modern school.The SOP is held annually as a collaborative effort of Qatar School Sports Federation (QSSF) and Ministry of Education and Higher Education, with hundreds of student athletes competing from all over Qatar.The SOP committee aims to spread a culture of sports throughout Qatar's schools and to engage the entire community in active and healthy lifestyles while retaining local values and traditions.​

Doha set to host Marathon Swim World Series

Doha, January 23, 2019- The Qatar Swimming Association continued its preparations for the first leg of the 2019 FINA/HOSA Marathon Swim World Series to be staged in Doha on February 16. The organizing committee of the event met yesterday and discussed the final arrangements for the event to be held at Doha Corniche.The event features seven legs taking place in some of the world's most scenic waterways, including the Seychelles, Portugal, Canada, Hungary and China.Doha hosted the first leg of the 2018 FINA/HOSA Marathon Swim World Series in March 2018. Ferry Weertman of the Netherlands claimed the title of Men's event while his compatriot Sharon van Rouwendaal took the gold medal in the Women's event.​

Qatar qualify to AFC Asian Cup quarterfinals

Abu Dhabi, January 23, 2019-The Qatari national football team defeated their Iraqi counterparts 1-0 in a thrilling contest on Tuesday to reach the Asian Cup quarterfinals.They will now face South Korea in the last eight on Friday.Bassam Alrawi scored the winner in the 62nd minute when he curled in a free-kick to take the Qataris into the last eight for a third time.It was Qatar's fourth win in four games this tournament after topping their group. ​

Qatar to participate in Special Olympics World Games

DOHA, January 22, 2019-The state of Qatar will participate in the 2019 Special Olympics World Games to be staged in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates from March 08 to 22, 2019. 26 Qatari athletes will participate in the games including Abdullah Mohamad Abdulrahim, Mohammad, Shoaa Al Abdullah , Hassan Al Ansari, Khalifa Al Dosari, Mubarak Al Ahbabi, Hamad Al Jaber, Nayef Al jassim, Mohammad Ali Mahmoud, Faysal Al Mari, Ibrahim Al Naimi, Saoud Harban Al Sulaiti, Bakhita Abdulla Azab, Jarallah Hamad Dharman and Abdulrahman Diyaa Al Siddiq. The Qatari delegation will be chaired by Mohammad Duhaim Al Dosari.

Students sparkle in SOP competitions

DOHA, January 22, 2019 – Students from different learning stages have made impressive performance in basketball, table tennis and volleyball competitions of Schools Olympic program 2019 on Monday.In the basketball event for primary schools (boys) Al Al Ashbal primary school progressed to the second round, following their victory over Ofas International schools (Azghawa and Dafna) 15-0 and 2-17.In table tennis events, Khalifa model school represented by Laith Baroodi claimed the first place, Mubarak Saied from Al Khor school seized the second place , while the third place went to Youssef Ahmed Mahmoud from Green Park schoolIn Volleyball event (government preparatory schools), Rawadat Rashid defeated Omar bin Khattab 2-0 , Abdullah Al Mosnad outclassed Al Emam Al Shafae 2-0 and Al Kaaban defeated Salad Al Deen 2-0.The SOP is held annually as a collaborative effort of Qatar School Sports Federation (QSSF) and Ministry of Education and Higher Education, with hundreds of student athletes competing from all over Qatar.The SOP committee aims to spread a culture of sports throughout Qatar's schools and to engage the entire community in active and healthy lifestyles while retaining local values and traditions.

Qatar to face Iraq in AFC Asian Cup on Tuesday

ABU DHABI, UAE , January 22, 2019 - Unbeaten Qatar are likely to have an edge going into their last 16 clash on Tuesday against Iraq, the 2007 champions at the AFC Asian Cup.Striker Almoez Ali has struck seven times in just three matches giving Qatar their three back-to-back wins against Lebanon, North Korea and Saudi Arabia.Iraq, on the other hand, won two matches and managed a draw against Islamic Republic of Iran in their first three matches of the tournament.Coached by Felix Sanchez, Qatar have impressed with their goal-scoring form in the three matches and rarely looked in trouble against their opponents. Ali scored in all the matches including four goals against North Korea and a brace against arch-rivals Saudi Arabia on Thursday.The impressive win against Saudi Arabia convinced popular coach Jose Mourinho to lavish praise on the young Qatari side. Qatar's key assets in the last 16 clash will be skipper Hassan Al Haydos and 2018 Asian Player of the Year Abdulkarim Hassan who was declared by Mourinho as 'special talent'.On a personal account, Qatar hotshot Ali is on the verge of writing himself into the competition's history books. Ali, who claimed the top scorer award at the AFC U23 Championship last year in January, has been in sensational form throughout the tournament with goals and amazing speed.With at least one more game still to come, the 22-year-old Al Duhail SC forward's impressive tally has seen him move to within one strike of the record haul by a player at Asia's premier event, one which was set by Islamic Republic of Iran legend Ali Daei when he scored eight at the 1996 edition, also in the United Arab Emirates.The feared striker is already level with Iran's Behtash Fariba and the Korea Republic ace Choi Soon-ho who bagged seven goals apiece during the AFC Asian Cup in 1980. Iraq, coached by Srecko Katanec, will be tough opponents, according to Qatar coach Sanchez.“Our aim is to win and to do that we have to play our best because our opponents are strong," Sanchez said on Monday as his players prepared for the high-octane clash on Tuesday.Sanchez has groomed most of the Qatari players, following their rise from the juniors in the last five years.With the 2022 FIFA World Cup less than four years away, Qatar have launched their first serious assignment on a positive note winning successive matches at the AFC Asian Cup. Tuesday's clash will be another tough test in Qatar's journey to preparing a strong squad for the home World Cup.