Qatar Football Team ready for Gulf Cup

DOHA, December 16, 2017-The Qatari football team resumed their training sessions on Friday in preparation for the 23rd edition of the Gulf Cup in Kuwait from December 22 to January 5.Qatar, who are the defending champions, have been preparing hard for the prestigious regional event, playing several friendlies over the past two months.Qatar are placed alongside Iraq, Yemen and Bahrain in Group B of the eight-team Gulf Cup.Squad: Saad al-Dosari, Hassan Haydous, Pedro Gomez, Musab al-Khader and Salem al-Hajri (Al Sadd); Almoez Ali, Bassam al-Rawi, Karim Boudiaf and Ismail Mohamed (Al Duhail); Mohamed Muntari (Al Ahli); Hamad al-Obaidi and Abdul Karim Salem al-Ali (Al Saliyah); Ahmed Fathi (Al Arabi); Mahdi Ali Osman Yahri (Al Gharafa); Asim Madibo, Akram Hassan Afif and Abdul Karim Hassan (KAS Eupen, Belgium); Ahmed Yasser Mohamadi and Ahmed Moin (Cultural y Deportiva Leonesa, Spain).

Qatar lose to Liechtenstein in friendly

Doha, December 15, 2017- Qatar lost to Liechtenstein 1-2 in their final preparation match before the Gulf Cup to be held in Kuwait from December 22 to January 5.In the match played at Al Ahli Stadium on Thursday, Qatar were off to blazing start with Almoez Ali putting them ahead in the 6th minute. Qatar had more chances to increase the lead but could not capitalise on them and Liechtenstein punished the hosts with an equaliser in the 29th minuteGoalkeeper Saad Al Shib's error gave Dennis Salanovic the chance and the 21-year-old forward made no mistake.Qatar were by far the better team in terms of possession, chances created and shots on target, but despite being down to 10 men after Ivan Kuntans was sent off, Liechtenstein won a penalty in the added time of the match and Michele Polverino converted it to make it 2-1.Qatar are placed alongside Iraq, Yemen and Bahrain in Group B of the eight-team Gulf Cup.

Biado claims 2017 World 9-Ball Championship crown

DOHA, December 15, 2017-World Games gold medalist Carlo Biado engraved his name among the greats of Filipino billiards by capturing the 2017 World 9-Ball Championship with a 13-5 victory over compatriot Roland Garcia at the Al Arabi Sports Club in Doha on Thursday.In winning the tournament, Biado became the fifth Filipino to win the men's title, and the first since Francisco Bustamante in 2010. The soft-spoken player finished on top of a competition that saw 128 players from over 40 countries compete for the top prize. The 34-year-old had laid down the marker right from the onset of the race-to-13 encounter after powering to a 7-0 lead before Garcia could get on the board, and the deficit proved too much for the 36-year-old Garcia to make up. Garcia, who once studied at the foot of the legendary Efren Reyes and is now based in Pattaya, Thailand, got to as close as 11-5 before Biado shut the door in under two hours.The win earns Biado a $40,000 prize while Garcia receives $15,000 of a total prize fund of $200,000.Biado and Garcia booked the final clash after dispatching opponents Wu Kun Lin of Taiwan and Klenti Kaci of Albania in their respective semi-finals.The last-four matches were almost similar in terms of play for the two eventual finalists as they both found themselves neck-and-neck with their opponents in the early goings of their race-to-eleven matchups, with Biado and Kun all knotted up at three racks apiece, while Garcia and Kaci were tied at two racks each.The Filipinos eventually pullled away with Biado going up 6-3 after nine racks, while Garcia took a 6-4 lead after ten racks.Kun and Kaci would not go down easily however, as they each pulled to within two racks apiece, but niether would go past the six-rack mark, as the Pinoys closed it out with identical 11-6 victories."I'm very happy. It's been a very long time but finally I reached the final and also won the trophy. I want to thank my family and my friends for being my inspiration. I was a little bit jittery in the semis but playing in the final was less of pressure for me. The position of the balls, for most part of the game, was a bit easier for me in the final. I played against a worthy opponent who has fantastic breaks. My plan is to go back to the Philippines and celebrate the victory before preparing for my next challenge - the China Open," an elated Biado said.Biado, who won the championship after his ninth participation, added that the year had been tremendous for him after claiming two major prizes the World Games, which he won in Poland earlier this year, and now the World 9-Ball Championship.Talking about his performance, Garcia said he believed he lost to a more worthy opponent."In my opinion, I think Biado deserved it much as he has been more committed and consistent in the game. Though I made some mistakes in the match but I believe Biado showed more determination and the will to win. Besides, I've not been fully committed to the sport as I'm involved in some other things beside billiards. I extend my congratulations to him and I wish myself better luck next time," Garcia said.Meanwhile, Qatar will again play host to the next four editions of the tournament after the hosting agreement was renewed on Thursday.

Team Qatar Flag Relay unites Qatar in pride, celebration and solidarity

DOHA, December 15, 2017-Qatar's sporting heroes have come together with schoolchildren and inspirational individuals to stage a unifying and patriotic Team Qatar flag relay in celebration of Qatar National Day 2017. Qatar's Al Adaam national flag was carried around the country's most iconic landmarks, incorporating multiple sporting activities to spread a message of peace, friendship and solidarity through sport. The flag covered almost 200km across Qatar and involved over 400 participants who represented the depth and diversity of Qatar's sporting success over recent years.Commenting on the Team Qatar Flag Relay, President of the Qatar Olympic Committee, H.E. Sheikh Joaan Bin Hamad Al Thani, said “I have been so humbled to see how the power of sport has brought our nation together through such an inspirational and patriotic flag relay today. The values of sport and the values of our nation are intrinsically linked and our Team Qatar flag relay provided a wonderful occasion to celebrate the achievements and inspirational spirit of our athletes and our country ahead of this year's National Day. We have showcased the very best of Qatar and the very best of sport in a unifying celebration that spread the Olympic values and transmitted a message of peace, friendship and solidarity through our national flag - a symbol of our dignity and pride. I would like to pass my thanks on to everyone that participated and contributed to making the day such a success."The flag relay began early in the morning at Sealine Beach in the south of the country with Qatar's national cycling team showcasing their speed and stamina as they transported the flag in a fast-moving peloton 40 km to Souq Al Wakra. From there it travelled up to the Museum of Islamic Art by motorbike where it was handed to some of Qatar's most successful athletes, including World and Paralympic ParaAthletics medallists, Abdelrahman Abdelqader and Sara Masoud and World Junior Weightlifting Champion and senior world silver medallist Fares Ibrahim, who all joined local schoolchildren to carry the flag on multiple legs around Doha's stunning Corniche.Speaking about the experience, Abdelrahman Abdelqader said “I'm so proud and happy that I participated with the other athletes in the Team Qatar Flag Relay today and that I raised the Al Adaam flag. The event today showed our unity and solidarity for our flag. Raising the flag of Qatar in my recent World Championship was a great achievement to me and I felt very proud."Meanwhile, Fares Ibrahim said, “I'm so proud that I was a part of the Flag Relay. We strive to raise the flag for Qatar inside and outside the country. I felt so proud that I won a silver medal for Qatar in the World Senior Championship just before National Day."Following a stop at the Qatar Olympic Committee Tower, where Secretary General Jassim Buenain and Vice-Presidents Dr Thani Al Kuwari and Shk Saud Bin Ali Al Thani, celebrated with all staff who have worked tirelessly to ensure Qatar's hugely successful sports development over recent years, the flag made its way to Katara by classic cars. From Katara, Team Qatar athletes swum, sailed and rowed across the water with the flag to Porto Arabia in the Pearl, before one of Qatar's first-ever female Olympians, table tennis player Aya Mohamed, transported it by water taxi to awaiting jet skis at Qanat Quartier.Aya Mohamed said “I'm so proud that I've participated in the Team Qatar Flag Relay and that I was one of the flagbearers. Qatar has given me so much and I am so pleased to be able to give back to my country for National Day."A short jet ski journey around the coast saw the flag arrive at Lusail City, Qatar's newest planned smart city, which will be home to the Qatar 2022 FIFA World Cup opening and final matches. An awaiting aeroplane driven by pilot Ahmed Abdulrahman flew the flag high in the Qatari sky before it touched down for the flag relay's most northern stop, Al Khor. From here, it was collected by Qatar's motorcycling community, who led a procession to Qatar's famous equestrian facility, Al Shaqab, in the west of Doha.The next stop was the Aspire Park, the heart of Qatari sport and home to multiple major global sporting events over the last ten years where it was collected by two of Qatar's most successful male and female athletes of 2017, Mutaz Barshim and Kholood Al Khalaf. Barshim, 2017 high jump World Champion and IAAF World Athlete of the Year and Al Khalaf, who won two bronze shooting medals at this year's Islamic Solidarity Games, ran with the flag towards the iconic Khalifa Stadium, which will host the 2019 IAAF World Championships in Athletics in less than two years, and where Mutaz Barshim will be hoping to retain his world title in front of a home crowd.Kholood Al Khalaf said “I'm so happy and proud that I was chosen to participate in the Flag Relay and I hope that we are always a part of raising the flag for Qatar."The flag was then passed to H.E. Sheikh Khalifa bin Hamad Al Thani who ran the final Aspire Park leg of the relay and handed it to sporting legend, Nasser Al Attiyah who this year won the FIA Middle East Rally Championship for an incredible 13th time, and also won Olympic bronze in shooting at London 2012. Commenting on the experience, Nasser said:“This is a great honour for us and I'd like to thank H.E. Shk Joaan for giving us this beautiful opportunity to raise the flag for Qatar and for organising the Team Qatar Flag Relay today. It witnessed great audiences and we as athletes were so happy to be part of this fantastic event. I always strive to do my best and raise the flag for Qatar at home and overseas in all sporting events and we are so proud that we won the World Rally Championships and the Middle East Championships. I'm so proud that I'm Qatari and that I represent Qatar. The flag will always fly high in events and in our hearts."Nasser led his fellow rally drivers the short journey to Darb Al Saai, where they made a grand entrance to the heart of Qatar's National Day festivities and delivered the flag to H.E. Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani, who had reunited with his fellow torchbearers from the historic 2006 Asian Games Torch Relay. Hassan Matar Alsuwaidi, Marsouk saad Alabdallah, Abdullah Alsuwaidi, Khalid Alamri, Hamad Almusallam, Abdullab Aman and Khalid Alkhulaifi all joined H.E. for the duration of the Torch Relay, which visited 15 countries and nine cities over the space of 55 days.H.E. Sheikh Joaan brought together all of the day's flagbearers and flag relay participants, Qatar's sporting community, volunteers and hundreds of members of the public for a ceremonial and patriotic parade, followed by the raising of the flag high over Darb Al Saai to conclude the day with a unifying and celebratory grand finale. Follow the Team Qatar social media channels for photo and video highlights from the day and sign up to the Team Qatar Club to unite in support of Team Qatar's incredible athletes.The Qatar Olympic Committee passes it sincere thanks to all of the flagbearers, athletes, federations, venues and partners that contributed to making the day the success that it was.

Hathab equestrian tour fourth leg at Al Shaqab from today

​DOHA, December 15, 2017-The fourth competition of Hathab Qatar Equestrian Tour will be held at Al Shaqab equestrian centre's indoor arena on Friday and Saturday.Top national riders will be seen in action once again in this fourth leg of the 12-competition series of Hathab, which will have the best seven results taken into account in deciding the overall national champions.Hathab, meaning"Canter" in Arabic, is an initiative of HE Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad al Thani, President of the Qatar Olympic Committee.The fourth leg will include dressage and showjumping.Young and promising riders have been excelling in the previous legs and also in the recently-concluded Al Rayyan International Championship. Among those who have stood out in the Big Tour class include Mubarak Yousuf al Rumaihi, Salmen Sultan al Suwaidi and Nasser al Ghazali.In the Small Tour, Haya Mohammed al Marri, Ghanim Nasser al Qadi and Jassim Rashid al Kaabi have been the ones to watch, besides others.

Team Qatar Flag Relay Information

​DOHA, December 12, 2017- On 14th December 2017, the Qatar Olympic Committee will be hosting a Team Qatar flag relay across Qatar to celebrate Qatar National Day.Team Qatar athletes, schoolchildren and inspirational individuals will carry the flag by multiple sporting activities, including running, cycling, sailing, motorbiking, horse-riding and much more to transmit a message of peace, friendship and solidarity through sport.The Team Qatar flag relay will begin at 7am at Sealine Beach in the south of Qatar and will make its way up the Qatar coastline to Al Khor, passing key landmarks along the way, before travelling to Education City, Al Shaqab and the Aspire Zone. The relay will conclude in the evening at approximately 6pm in the heart of Qatar's National Day festivities in Darb Al Saii, with a unifying celebration.The public are welcome to come down to watch the relay as it travels across Qatar at any point along the route. This will be an inspirational, patriotic and unifying day and we are keen to share it with all residents of Qatar!Below you will find information with information about the route. Please note that timings may be subject to change but you can keep up to date with the progress of the flag relay throughout the day across Team Qatar's social media channels.