Qatar has enjoyed much success in the world of sports in recent weeks with athletes showcasing excellence in dif-ferent competitions and their officials retaining top posts in major sports bodies. Returning to his best, reigning Olympic and world champion Mutaz Barshim scaled 2.36m to win the Skolimowska Memorial in Silesia Diamond League meeting in Poland last week. It was a world leading high jump and a meeting record, also held by the Qatari hero when he leapt 2.35 in 2016.
There were more achievements for Qatar’s track and field stars last week as they notched up an aggregate of four medals – two gold, one silver and one bronze medal – at the 25th Asian Championships held in Bangkok, Thailand. Bassem Hemeida and Abu Bakr Abdullah clinched gold medals in the 400m hurdles and 800m races respec-tively while Yasser Salem secured silver in the 1500m race. Qatar’s 4x400m relay team claimed bronze medal in the championships.
Al Annabi athletes were also phenomenal at the Arab Games – Algeria 2023 – concluded last week – sealing a whopping 22 medals – nine gold, two silver and 11 bronze medals. The track and field athletes excelled in Algiers too with Team Qatar also winning many medals in other disci-plines. A total of 115 athletes represented Qatar in the event taking part in as many as 16 disciplines.
Last month, Qatar’s junior athletes, also excelled in the Asian U20 Athletics Championships bagging a total of six medals including three gold and two silver medals. Rising pole vaulter Seif Abdessalem Hemeida, an Aspire Academy athlete, was outstanding in the event setting a new championship record while winning the pole vault contest.
Moreover, sports bodies continued to repose confidence in Qatar’s sports officials with Dahlan Jumaan Al Hamad winning his third term as the Asian Athletics Association (AAA) President in Bangkok recently. Dahlan was first elected as AAA chief in 2013, in half an election cycle in India. Subsequently he was re-elected in 2015 in Wuhan, China, and won the elections in 2019 in Doha.
Also, Qatar Olympic Committee (QOC) Second Vice President, Dr Thani bin Abdulrahman Al Kuwari was re-elected as the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) Vice President for West Asia during the 42nd OCA General Assembly in Bangkok earlier this month.
The recent achievements showcase Qatar is moving in the right direction in the field of sports, particularly the development of young athletes promises a bright future for the country. With continued backing from the QOC and hardwork, these athletes can achieve glory in the Olympics in the coming years like Barshim and weightlifter Fares Ibrahim did in the Tokyo Games
