Qatar Olympic Committee Secretary General Sheikh Saoud bin Abdulrahman Al Thani gives a speech before the awards are given out at the Sport Excellence Day ceremony at Katara yesterday.
DOHA: Qatar Olympic Committee (QOC), the country’s governing sports body, hosted a glittering ceremony to honour the best athletes’, sports officials’, institutions’, government and non-government organisations’ at the Sport Excellence Day 2013, yesterday.
The prestigious annual event, at Katara, building No. (12) in the Cultural Village, was organised by QOC to honour those who have succeeded and made a tangible contribution in boosting sports during the 2012-2013 season.
Senior QOC officials, heads of sports clubs, federations and honourees attended the event to celebrate the role played by what sport has achieved and the prosperity sport has had on the Qatari community.
Also in attendance yesterday, was Sheikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Thani.
Sheikh Khalid congratulated all those who were honoured.
He said: “I take this opportunity to congratulate the winners and honorees in the ceremony of the Sport Excellence Day and those who are reflected a honorable image of the Qatari sport and raised up Qatar’s flag at international arenas.”
Sheikh Khalid added: “The most prominent achievement was made by the Qatari heroes, Nasser Al Attiyah and Mutaz Barshim who won bronze medals in the shooting and the athletics in the Olympic Games, which was held in London in addition to the many Qatari sport achievements and victories.”
QOC Secretary General Sheikh Saoud bin Abdulrahman Al Thani praised the winners and all athletes who took part in sport during the 2012 season.
Sheikh Saoud said: “This year featured a bright mark as we had a positive performance at the London 2012 Summer Olympic Games after the medals we earned. Also a new generation of our young athletes took part in multiple sport events. Additionally our athletes and clubs have achieved good results at both regional and international levels.”
He added: “We aspire and look ahead for a bright future with all our wishes and hope. Our youths are still on track formore acheivements. They won two gold medals in 2012 IAAF World Junior Championships in Athletics in Barcelona, where our champion, Asharaf Al Saifi set a new world record in the hammer event.”
Sheikh Saoud explained: “We shall never forget the effort of our champion, Abdullah Al Tamimi in the squash sport, who recorded distinctive results at the regional and international levels, to become world No. 1 in the juniors category.”
Among those who were honoured were shooter and rally driver Nasser Saleh Al Attiyah and high jumper Mutaz Essa Barshim, who won the Season’s best Athlete Awards.
The duo clinched bronze medals at the London Olympic Games last year. Al Attiyah, who won bronze medal in the skeet event, was Qatar’s first Olympic medal in 12 years.
A few days later, Barshim made it two bronze medals for Qatar, when he finished joint-third in the high jump event at the Olympic Stadium.
Since their triumphs, both Qatari’s have enjoyed success in the sporting world.
Recently, Al Attiyah won the Jordan Rally, the 48th Middle East Rally Championship win.
After receiving the award yesterday morning, Barshim had a day to remember when he won the gold medal at the on-going Arab Athletics Championships yesterday.
Just recently, Barshim won the high jump in the IAAF Diamond League meeting in Shanghai on Saturday, days after finishing second in the home leg in Doha on May 10.
Also honoured yesterday, was Rally driver Abdulaziz Saadoun Al Kuwari, who picked up the Season’s Best Athlete Award in Mechanical Sports.
Bahya Al Hamad was awarded the Women’s Season’s Best Athlete Award.
Other notable winners, were Al Rayyan Handball and Al Arabi Volleyball teams, who were awarded the Season’s Team Awards for Clubs.
Qatar’s Men’s Junior and Youth Handball teams won the Men’s Season’s National Team Award, whereas the Qatar Women’s Basketball Team won the Season’s National Team Award.
Aysha Ibrahim Mohammed Al Mutawa and Norah Ibrahim Mohammad Al Mutawa, won the Season’s Best Athlete Award for Girls. Also, Magid Al Naimi, Secretary General of Qatar Cycling Federation collected the Season’s Best Sport’s Administrator Award.
THE PENINSULA
