Doha all set to host Longines Global Champions Tour finals

DOHA, November 1, 2018 - With just over a week before the Longines Global Champions Tour finals get underway in Doha, Qatar, Sheikh Ali Bin Khalid Al Thani reveals the pressure to perform on home soil and his dream is to “make my country proud and inspire the next generation."With LGCT Doha hitting AL SHAQAB from 8th – 10th November, all eyes will be on the very best horses and riders in the sport as they battle for supremacy in the world's premier show jumping series. In an exclusive interview ahead of the event Sheikh Ali revealed: “What motivates me every day is to be successful. I work hard, I train, I go to the gym before riding, I have a programme and a plan of where I want to be. But success to me is defined as making my country proud. To bring home medals for Qatar and to represent my country against the best of the best. My dream is to win a LGCT Grand Prix, and to bring an Olympic medal home for Qatar, particularly as a team."Competing internationally around the world Sheikh Ali has been flying the Qatari flag for show jumping, consistently jumping at the highest level against the top ranked riders in the world. But as LGCT and GCL look to AL SHAQAB – a member of the Qatar Foundation – in Doha, after a global circuit including cities such as Miami Beach, Shanghai, Paris, Rome and London, competing at home is different, as Sheikh Ali explains: “There is more pressure for us at the event in Doha. We are motivated, you have the crowd, your family, everyone watching and you need to do well. We want to show our country what we we are doing and how we are improving. Every year there is a Qatari rider in the top ten, and it was perfect last year that Bassem [Hassan Mohammed] won. The facilities are top [at AL SHAQAB] – I can't talk too much about it as I am from there! But the feeling is we want to do our very best for our country and show our people and country that our team are working hard in Europe and heading in the right direction."Taking a step back from the competition itself, Sheikh Ali reflects on the significance of having LGCT hosted by his country. “Qatar has a big vision for sport, not just equestrian. So in every sport Qatar is choosing the best. For example in equestrian they are bringing the best Tour that has ever happened – the Longines Global Champions Tour is the best there is in show jumping. If you see also in other sport we are looking to the 2022 World Cup in football, the handball final has already been hosted here, and the athletics championships run in our country."

Qatar to face South Korea in semifinals of AFC U-19 Championship

Jakarta, November 01, 2018-The Qatari football team will take on their South Korean counterparts in the semifinals of AFC U-19 Championship 2018 on Thursday.Qatar qualified to the semifinals after beating Thailand 7-3 while South Korea edged past Tajikistan in the quarterfinals. The four semifinalists including Qatar, defending champions Japan, South Korea and Saudi Arabia have confirmed their places in the 2019 FIFA U-20 World Cup Poland but there is still everything to play for as they chase Continental glory.Qatar's coach Bruno Pinheiro has called on Qatar to remain focused on winning the title after they too qualified for Poland 2019. “It is sometimes normal for a team to relax a little after qualifying for something such as a World Cup.“ He said. “It is now a question of preparing the team both physically and mentally. We always want to win every game we play, and I am not expecting anything different from my team against Korea Republic." He added.

Artur Dalaloyan wins All-around gold in Artistic Gymnastics World Championships

DOHA, November 01, 2018-Russia's Artur Dalaloyan claimed the gold medal of men's all-around event in the 2018 FIG Artistic Gymnastics World Championships on Wednesday.In a tie-break, Artur Dalaloyan edged defending world champion Xiao Ruoteng of China for the All-around title. His compatriot Nikita Nagornyy took bronze."I had only one goal, and that was to perform my job from beginning to end without mistakes. I was surprised and can't say anything more. I'm just so happy. I feel good, excellent. I simply tried my best to show my best. I can't believe it yet. I need to probably go to my hotel, take a deep breath and realize that yes, I won this championship." said Artur Dalaloyan. "When I saw the results I immediately saw that the number 2 came next to (Xiao's) name and, of course, felt happy and amazing." he added.

QSAF prepares to host Arab Shooting Championship

DOHA, October 31, 2018 – Qatar Shooting & Archery Federation (QSAF) is preparing to host the prestigious 14th Arab Shooting Championship 2018 from 16-26 November in Qatar's capital city of Doha.In a pre-event release on Tuesday, the championship director and QSAF Secretary General, Magid Al Nuaimi underlined that QSAF has formed well-qualified working committees to finalize all managerial and technical arrangements for the event.Al Nuaimi also pointed out that a number of Arab teams will arrive in Doha to stage training camps ahead of the prestigious event which will bring together almost 200 shooters (male and female).

USA women's gymnastics wins team title at world championships

DOHA, October 31, 2018 - Led by Simone Biles, the USA women's gymnastics team won the team title at the world championships in Doha, Qatar, on Tuesday.Russia earned silver, while China won bronze. All three countries qualify for the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo.Joining Biles in victory were teammates Morgan Hurd, Grace McCallum, Riley McCusker and Kara Eaker, scoring a total of 171.629 points. The margin of victory, 8.766 points, is the USA's largest of its six world team titles and the largest under the current 12-year-old scoring system.The world championships in Doha continue with the individual finals, which will occur later this week. The championships conclude Saturday.Despite a recent trip to the hospital because of a kidney stone, Biles, who returned to the sport this summer, competed in all four events Tuesday. She also has qualified for all five individual finals: all-around, vault, uneven bars, balance beam and floor exercise.Hurd, last year's world all-around champion, competed in three events Tuesday. She will join Biles to compete in the all-around, bars and floor. Eaker will compete in the beam final.The US women's team has won every Olympic and world team title since 2011. Gymnasts who will make up the 2020 Olympic team won't be selected until that summer.

Qatar to take on South Korea in semifinals of AFC U-19 Championship

Jakarta, October 30, 2018-The Qatari football team will take on their South Korean counterparts in the semifinals of AFC U-19 Championship 2018 on Thursday.The four semifinalists including Qatar, defending champions Japan, South Korea and Saudi Arabia have confirmed their places in the 2019 FIFA U-20 World Cup Poland but there is still everything to play for as they chase Continental glory.Qatar defeated Thailand in the quarter-finals thanks to an exhilarating 7-3 extra-time win. The Qatari side topped Group A following a group stage campaign that included two victories and a loss to the United Arab Emirates. Qatar's Abdulrasheed Umaru is the competition's leading scorer with seven goals – three of which came during his side's remarkable 6-5 victory over host nation Indonesia.South Korea Advanced from the quarter-finals following Jeon Se-jin's neat finish in a narrow 1-0 win over Tajikistan. Chung Jung-yong's charges had finished as Group C winners where they opened their campaign with a 1-1 draw against Australia before successive wins helped them through to the last eight of a competition they have won no less than 12 occasions.