Qatari Olympic flag-bearer Bahiya Mansour, Paralympian Abdulrahman Abdulqader and national football star Adel Khamis during their visit to Qatar International School.
Doha: With the biggest ever Qatar National Sport Day almost a week away, some of the country’s most famous athletes have been inspiring a new generation of youngsters into using the day to boost their sporting skills, health and fitness.
As ambassadors for the 2014 installment of National Sport Day, to be held on February 11, Qatari Olympic flag-bearer Bahiya Mansour, Paralympian Abdulrahman Abdulqader and national football star Adel Khamis visited Qatar International School to pass on their knowledge and experiences of the benefits of sport.
Speaking to the group of over 100 boys and girls Bahiya Mansour said:
“Sport means the world to me and has given me the most incredible opportunities. To think sitting here amongst this group could the next generation of Qatari sports stars is incredibly exciting and what better place to start than with National Sport Day. To develop as a sporting nation we need our youngsters to be out exercising, being fit and healthy, and enjoying community sports activities. February 11 is a fantastic chance for everyone and I hope you will not just join in the celebrations, but lead them.”
A public holiday, Qatar National Sport Day aims to give the people of Qatar an opportunity to kick start a future of healthy living with an unrivalled schedule of free sporting events across the country. From cycling to swimming, football to basketball, tennis to tae kwon do, countless free sporting sessions, accessible to all, will be taking place throughout Qatar as the celebrations to highlight the importance of healthy living reach a new peak.
As the sole representative of Qatar at the London Paralympics in 2012, Abdulrahman Abdulqader shared his experiences with the young group:
“We are so lucky to have this day to spend with our friends and families and take steps to becoming fitter and healthier. You should use this National Sport Day should to focus on just how good exercise is for your body and mind; the benefits are countless. It’s time for blue sky thinking and by that I mean getting outside and having fun. Put down the computer games and pick a tennis racquet or football or get on your bike. It’s going to be a day of incredible excitement and I genuinely hope we can all share in the positivity which sport breeds.”
Based on the sporting principles of inclusion and unity, participation and fun, fitness and health, National Sport Day has cemented its status as one of the highlights of Qatar’s community, sporting and national calendars.
Now in 2014, through the support of elite athletes Qatar National Sport is set to bring the country even closer together through activity, leaving a lasting legacy for the local community.
Looking ahead to Qatar National Sport Day on the 11th of February, event ambassador and Qatar’s most capped international footballer Adel Khamis said:
“It’s immensely exciting to sit with you here today and play a positive role in developing your passion for sport. Exercise is the most natural thing for our bodies to do; we are built to be mobile and active. Through exercise we gain fitness, better health and sharper minds. Through sport we allow our bodies to show us just what they are capable of and all the while we get to enjoy the company of our friends and team mates. Qatar National Sport Day embodies all of these incredible things and I hope you can use the day to take another step towards your positive development in sport and in life.”
Featuring a traditional boat race and the legendary sport walk, as well as the biggest ever line up of free events, 2014 is set to be the largest and most widely celebrated day of sport ever witnessed in the country. Kickstarting the festivities will be the opening of Qatar Olympic Committee’s specially built sport zone which will welcome all from the 6th of February. The anticipation will then build to a crescendo as the yearlong Be Fit programme reaches its exciting climax where the individual who lost the most amount of weight through healthy living is announced, before the New Year’s programme is launched.
Along with the extensive sporting events across the country, National Sport Day will also focus on Qatari culture with a traditional Al Shawahef rowing championship opening proceedings on the day. The event will act as a reminder of Qatar’s sporting ancient sporting heritage and the role it has played in the country’s most recent sporting developments.
Official participating venues for the event include; Aspire, Katara, The Pearl, Souq Waqif, Al Refaa Street and many more. Further details are available on www.sportday.qa The Peninsula
