Draw held for AFC U17 Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2026™

Kuala Lumpur: The teams vying for the title learnt their Group Stage challengers following the AFC U17 Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2026™ Official Draw at the AFC House in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on Thursday.The 16 teams were divided into four groups with the tournament to be contested between between May 5 and 22, 2026.Hosts Saudi Arabia, who lifted the trophy in 1985 and 1988, will face Tajikistan, Thailand and Myanmar in Group A.Group B will see former champions Japan being challenged by Indonesia, two-time winners China PR and 1990 titleholders Qatar for the two quarter-final slots.Korea Republic, also two-time winners, will have to contend with Yemen, Vietnam and United Arab Emirates in Group C while Group D will see a tussle between defending champions Uzbekistan, Australia, India and two-time winners DPR Korea for the right to advance to the knockout stage.The top eight finishers will qualify for the FIFA U-17 World Cup Qatar 2026. 

Swiatek, Rybakina dumped out by Sakkari and Mboko at Qatar Open

Doha:World number two Iga Swiatek and Australian Open champion Elena Rybakina both crashed out of the Qatar Open on Thursday losing their quarter-finals to Maria Sakkari and Victoria Mboko respectively.Top seed Swiatek fell short against a revitalised Sakkari who rolled back the years as she clawed her way to a nervy 2-6, 6-4, 7-5 victory while 10th seed Mboko outmuscled Rybakina 7-5, 4-6, 6-4."It's been a while since I had a big win like today," said Sakkari, who reached No. 3 in the rankings in 2022 but has slipped to 52nd. "When you drop in the rankings and you're not playing good tennis you start doubting yourself and you think you are never going to beat those players again. So it's a huge process you have to go through in your head that you can do it."The 30-year-old Greek won her first three career meetings with the young Swiatek but the last of those victories came in 2021. The Pole had won their last four matches, the most recent in straight sets in Qatar last year. "Last year in the second round here against her, I was not confident, I was not believing in myself and this year it's different. I feel a lot better," said Sakkari who will now face either 14th seeded Czech Karolina Muchova or unseeded Russian Anna Kalinskaya,. "I've missed that feeling of going deep into tournaments."Swiatek, who won the Qatar tournament, a WTA 1000 event, in 2022, 2023 and 2024, started as if she would repeat last year's rout when she broke twice in the first set. Sakkari began to fight back in the last game, but Swiatek saved a break point to seal the set.Sakkari continued her upswing by breaking in the second game of the second set. Yet every time she gained an edge, Swiatek responded. The Pole broke in the seventh game, but Sakkari steadied and broke in the tenth game to take the set.It was the first time in their seven meetings that a match between the pair had gone to a third set. In a see-saw deciding set, Swiatek saved a match point on her serve before Sakkari held to love, the Greek going on to win in the next game, on her third match point.The match lasted one minute under two-and-a-half hours and was followed by an equally gripping contest as Mboko underlined her growing reputation in a contest that was just six minutes shorter. Mboko, who had already defeated Rybakina in last year's Montreal semifinals, managed to break the Kazakh's serve three times in the opening set alone.On the flip side she lost her own twice but that was still enough for her to take the first set 7-5. She dropped her serve twice again in the second set, which Rybakina won 6-4. But the 19-year-old Canadian had the last word in the final set, winning it 6-4.Mboko, who was swept aside by world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka in the round of 16 in Melbourne, will face last year's runner-up, Jelena Ostapenko in the Doha semifinals. The Latvian, who won the French Open in 2017, advanced by beating the Italian Elisabetta Cocciaretto 7-5, 6-4. 

Competition Continues for Second Day at HH the Amir's Sword Showjumping Event

Doha: Competition continued for a second consecutive day at the HH the Amir's Sword Showjumping event at the Longines Arena at Al Shaqab in Doha, with riders contesting classes across multiple categories.Britain's Harry Charles won the Hermes Sellier qualifier for the Grand Prix at a height of 155cm, producing a jump-off round in 37.74 seconds aboard Cascais. Italy's Emanuele Gaudiano finished a close second in 37.77 seconds on Esteban, while Belgium's Pieter Devos placed third with a time of 37.04 seconds on Primo.In the three-star 130cm World Cup qualifier, Egypt's Ismail Osama El Barai topped the standings in 62.23 seconds on Incredible, ahead of compatriot Abdullah Haitham and Saudi Arabia's Badr Al Fard.The 135cm class was won by American rider Kristen Vanderveen in 31.06 seconds on Bull Run's Risen, with Qatar's Ibrahim Yousif Al Mahmoud second and Saeed Hamad Juma third.Gaudiano later secured another victory in the three-star 145cm World Cup qualifier, clocking 62.02 seconds on Chalou's Love PS, followed by Qatar's Faleh Suwaid Al Ajami and Turkiye's Hasan Senturk.In dressage, Qatar's Jassim Al Kuwari won the international Prix St Georges class with a score of 71.275 aboard Jack Sparrow, ahead of compatriots Wajdan Al Maliki and Mariam Al Buainain.Saudi Arabia's Salem Balharith claimed the one-star 120cm class, while Abdulaziz bin Jassim Al-Thani won the 110cm event. In the local 80cm class, Mishaal Mohammed Al-Thani took top honors.The competition forms part of Qatar's international equestrian calendar, drawing leading riders from across Europe and the Middle East.

Qatar's Al Rumaihi Wins Trap Gold at HH the Amir Grand Prix Shotgun Championship

Doha: Qatari shooter Mohammed Al Rumaihi claimed gold in the men's trap event at the third HH The Amir Grand Prix Shotgun Championship, which concluded at the Lusail Shooting Complex after seven days of competition.The tournament attracted 315 shooters from 38 countries, with 198 competitors taking part in the trap discipline across men's, women's, youth and junior categories.Al Rumaihi secured victory after a tense final against Turkiye's Yavuz Ilnam. The pair were tied on 26 targets, forcing a shoot-off that the Qatari won by a single target. Ilnam took silver, while France's Antoine Desar finished third with 20 targets.In the women's trap, Italy's Alessia Iezzi won gold after defeating Australia's Laetisha Scanlan in a shoot-off, with San Marino's Alessandra Perilli taking bronze.Australia's Benjamin De Pedro won the youth title, while Kazakhstan's Yelium Zhabagieva topped the junior women's event. Total prize money for the skeet and trap events stood at USD 122,000.Qatar Shooting and Archery Federationآ president Dr Mishaal Ibrahim Al Nasr praised Al Rumaihi's achievement, describing it as a reflection of the federation's strategic planning and continued support for the sport.Al Nasr said the achievement was dedicated to the country's leadership and to HE President of the Qatar Olympic Committee, Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al-Thani, praising what the unlimited support provided to Qatari sport in general and shooting in particular.He added that the result reflects the scale of planning and strategic work undertaken by the federation to strengthen Qatar's presence on the international stage, and demonstrates that Qatari shooting is moving steadily in the right direction towards global podium finishes. 

Mboko and Muchová to Meet in Qatar Open Final

Doha: Victoria Mboko and Karolína Muchová secured their places in the final after winning their respective semi-finals at the Qatar Open on a thrilling penultimate day in Doha.Mboko delivered another statement performance to defeat Jeļena Ostapenko, continuing her remarkable run at the tournament. Despite Ostapenko’s experience, the Canadian teenager once again showed composure beyond her years. After trading early breaks in the opening set, Mboko seized control with a decisive late break before closing it out confidently.She maintained her momentum in the second set, racing to a commanding lead and putting the match firmly in her grasp. Although she was briefly delayed in serving it out, Mboko held her nerve to seal victory and advance to the second final of her career. The result also ensures her breakthrough into the top 10 of the WTA rankings.The second semi-final proved far more tightly contested, as Maria Sakkari faced Muchová in a high-intensity battle. The pair exchanged heavy groundstrokes and shared the opening two sets, forcing a decider. However, Sakkari—who had earlier overcome the top seed in a demanding quarter-final—appeared to fade physically in the final stretch. Muchová capitalised, surging through the opening games of the third set to take control and ultimately book her place in the championship match.In doubles action, Ostapenko returned to court alongside Hsieh Su-wei to face defending champions Sara Errani and Jasmine Paolini. The encounter went the distance, with both teams claiming a set before the Italians edged the decisive tiebreak to secure their spot in the final.Earlier in the day, fourth seeds Anna Danilina and Aleksandra Krunić advanced to the doubles final with a straight-sets win over Gabriela Dabrowski and Luisa Stefani.The tournament will conclude on Saturday, with both singles and doubles finals set to take centre stage at the Khalifa International Tennis and Squash Complex, bringing the 2026 edition in Doha to a fitting close. 

Steiner and Essamlali Shine in CSI5 and Dressage at HH The Amir Sword Equestrian Festival

DONA - Nadja Peter Steiner delivered a standout performance to claim top honours in the feature CSI5* 150cm class as the HH The Amir’s Sword Showjumping Championship got underway at Al Shaqab on Wednesday.The Swiss rider, aboard Nice Van’T Zorgvliet, produced a flawless round to finish clear in 66.42 seconds and secure victory ahead of a strong field that featured 36 starters, with 13 combinations making the placings. American rider Kristen Vanderveen took second place with Bull Run’s Jireh after stopping the clock at 66.92 seconds, while Brazil’s Marlon Modolo Zanotelli completed the podium in third riding Dorette Old in 67.67 seconds.Zanotelli has earlier topped the standings in the CSI5* Two Phases 140cm class, guiding Merciminka to victory with a double-clear effort in 22.25 seconds from a competitive field of 70 participants. Vanderveen again featured prominently, finishing second aboard Starbucks 27 in 23.02 seconds, while Italy’s Emanuele Gaudiano secured third place with Vasco 118 in 23.32 seconds.Dressage action at the Longines Indoor Arena also drew attention, with Morocco’s Youssef Essamlali and Jazz Parra topping the CDN Preliminary Freestyle. USA’s Haajerah Khan riding Chantal M finished second, while Qatar’s Shaikha Al Thani claimed third place on Fenouil-F.M.In the juniors category, Qatar’s Hamad Nasser Al Marri aboard Sandro Girl secured victory in the CDN Preliminary Freestyle, followed by compatriots Hadi Nasser Al Hajri on Cordian Z and Moza Hamza Al Kuwari riding Lippo in second and third places respectively.The championship continues on Thursday with nine classes on the programme, including one-star and five-star competitions, three three-star World Cup qualifiers, a local 80cm class, an international dressage event for the St. George classification, and the Hermes Seller class, a 155cm Grand Prix qualifier featuring a jump-off.The HH The Amir’s Sword Championship forms the fifth stop of the Doha Equestrian Tour 2026, which began with the HH The Father Amir’s Prix. British world number one Scott Brash has dominated the tour’s Grand Prix standings so far, topping both the four-star and five-star overall rankings with 199 points, ahead of Harry Charles and France’s Meghann Moussonnier.In the one-star category, Qatari riders lead the standings with Saad Ahmed Al Saad in first place followed by Hussein Saeed Haidan.