With less than a week to go until the start of the 33rd edition of the Summer Olympics in Paris, the excitement among Qatar sports enthusiasts is building up. From July 26 to August 11, 14 of Qatar’s top athletes will showcase their talents across five different sports disciplines, aiming to fly the national flag high on the world stage.
The opening ceremony next Friday will see Qatar’s Olympic hero Mutaz Barshim carrying the national flag, along with female sprinter Shahad Mohamed, at the picturesque River Seine in Paris.
With athletes poised to leave their mark, a formidable athletics contingent led by the reigning Olympic high jump champion Mutaz Barshim will take center stage. Barshim, whose journey from winning silver in London 2012 and Rio 2016 to a gold in Tokyo 2020 is nothing short of a fairytale, prepares for what could be his final appearance in the Olympics.
Meanwhile, Abderrahman Samba, Ismail Dawood Abakar, and Bassem Hemeida will also act in the men’s 400-meter hurdles event, marking a significant feat for Qatar. Samba, a bronze winner at the 2019 World Championships in Doha, aims to make his presence felt in an immensely competitive event. Abakar yesterday made a strong statement by winning third place at the Diamond League meeting in London, upgrading his lifetime best time by almost a second. With Asian Games silver winner Hemeida in the fray, the Qatari trio will be looking to shine in front of the world this time.
Abubakar Hayder, the 800-meter specialist, one-lap runner Ammar Ismail, pole vaulter Saif Mohammed, and Shahad in the women’s 400 meters complete Qatar’s athletics line-up which will make a strong presence in athletics.
Qatar’s first-ever Olympic gold winner Fares Ibrahim, who captured the hearts of many with a memorable lift in Tokyo three years ago, will aim to return to the podium in weightlifting.
Shooters Saeed Abusharib and Rashid Saleh Al Athba will have the medals in their crosshairs, while the Tokyo bronze winners Cherif Younousse and Ahmed Tijan, Qatar’s beach volleyball duo, are set to make their third consecutive Olympic appearance. Swimmer Abdulaziz Al Obaidly rounds out the team, representing Qatar in the 200-meter breaststroke.
Qatar’s participation in the Olympics is not just about medals, but also about the pride of a nation and the inspiration they provide to future generations. As the world watches, team Qatar is ready to shine as the hopes of a nation rest on these 14 athletes.
