«صامبا وباسم « في مونديال القوى للنخبة

يشارك الثنائي القطري عبدالرحمن صامبا وباسم محمد حميدة في منافسات سباق 400 متر حواجز ضمن بطولة العالم لألعاب القوى للنخبة «بودابست 2026»، التي تقام في العاصمة المجرية خلال الفترة من 11 إلى 13 سبتمبر الجاري. وكتب حساب الاتحاد القطري لألعاب القوى على منصة «إكس»، أمس، أن صامبا ، وباسم محمد سيمثلان منتخبنا الوطني في منافسات 400 متر حواجز، متمنياً التوفيق للثنائي في التحدي العالمي. ويدخل صامبا البطولة بعد سلسلة من المشاركات القوية خلال الموسم الحالي، كان آخرها ظهوره في ملتقى بروكسل في الخامس من سبتمبر الجاري، حيث حل سادساً في سباق 400 متر حواجز بزمن بلغ 48.24 ثانية. كما شارك بطلنا في لقاء زيوريخ ضمن منافسات الدوري الماسي يوم 27 أغسطس الماضي، وحقق أفضل أرقامه خلال الموسم الحالي بعدما أنهى السباق في 47.77 ثانية محتلاً المركز الخامس. في المقابل، يدخل باسم محمد حميدة منافسات بودابست بعد تحقيقه واحدة من أبرز نتائجه هذا الموسم، عندما توج بالمركز الأول في ملتقى بيلينزونا بسويسرا في 30 أغسطس الماضي، مسجلاً رقماً شخصياً جديداً بلغ 47.56 ثانية. ويضع هذا الرقم باسم ضمن أبرز العدائين الآسيويين في تاريخ سباق 400 متر حواجز، كما سبق له الفوز بسباق ملتقى بانسكا بيستريتسا في سلوفاكيا خلال يوليو الماضي بزمن 48.10 ثانية. ويواجه الثنائي القطري منافسة قوية في بودابست أمام مجموعة من أبرز نجوم 400 متر حواجز على المستوى العالمي، وفي مقدمتهم البرازيلي أليسون دوس سانتوس، والأمريكي راي بنجامين، والنرويجي كارستن فارهولم. sweetbonanza.qpon

Doha, Qatar: Qatar will be hoping to add to its Asian Games medal tally through volleyball at the Asian Games Aichi-Nagoya 2026, with its strongest medal hopes resting on beach volleyball stars Cherif Younousse and Ahmed Tijan.

Qatar will field men’s and women’s teams in the indoor competition, in addition to four teams in beach volleyball, two men’s and two women’s pairs.

The men’s indoor team have been drawn in Group C alongside India, Vietnam and Hong Kong, while Group A comprises Japan, Pakistan, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, Group B features the Islamic Republic of Iran, Indonesia, Thailand and Kyrgyzstan, and Group D has the Republic of Korea, Chinese Taipei and the Philippines.

The men’s competition will run from September 27 to October 3, while the women’s event is scheduled from September 16 to 22.

Qatar’s men enter the tournament after an intensive preparation programme under Argentine coach Camilo Soto.

They held a training camp in Slovenia from August 15 to 26, playing friendly matches against Egypt and Slovenian league teams before competing in the Asian Championship in Fukuoka, Japan.

The women’s team are in Group D alongside Vietnam, the Republic of Korea and Hong Kong, with Qatar aiming to produce a strong showing against experienced continental opponents.

Qatar have a strong record in indoor volleyball, winning the Asian Cup in Chinese Taipei in 2018 after defeating Iran 3-2.

They have also won the Gulf Cup and Asian Challenge Cup, claimed bronze at the 2023 Asian Championship in Iran and qualified for the 2022 and 2025 World Championships.

In beach volleyball, Qatar will be represented by four teams. The Qatar 1 men’s team features Cherif and Tijan, while Qatar 2 comprises Moussa El Kheir and Mohamed Ehab.

Malak Mohammed and Laila Mohammed form Qatar 1 in the women’s event, while Haya Abu Issa and Shaghaf Amin represent Qatar 2.

Cherif and Tijan are Qatar’s main medal hopes, having won Asian Games gold in Jakarta in 2018 and retained their title in Hangzhou in 2023.

The duo also won bronze at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and gold at the Asian Beach Games in Sanya, China, last April. They have won the Asian Beach Volleyball Championship three times, with their latest continental title coming in Bandar Abbas, Iran, in 2022.

They also won gold at the West Asian Beach Volleyball Championship in Doha in 2022.

Their continued excellence was recognised when they received the award for Asia’s best beach volleyball players for 2026 from the Asian Volleyball Confederation in Bangkok, Thailand. With QNA input.

Doha, Qatar: Roberto Firmino and Akram Afif scored braces as Al Sadd maintained their perfect start to the Qatar Stars League with a 6-3 win over Al Sailiya at Lusail Stadium yesterday.

The defending champions’ fourth straight victory took them to 12 points, four clear of Al Shamal, who drew 1-1 with Al Wakrah. Al Rayyan, who face Al Ahli at Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium today, are five points behind the leaders.

Afif opened the scoring in the 19th minute, chipping the ball into the centre of the net from a precise Paulo Otavio pass. Al Sailiya, seeking their first points of the season, responded through Ali Iyad Olwan, who levelled in the 35th minute with a solo effort. Hashem Ali restored Al Sadd’s lead before half-time, and Firmino extended it with a penalty in the 50th minute after Kellian Albertus fouled Pedro Miguel.

Ahmed Doozandeh pulled one back eight minutes later, but goals from Firmino and Afif in the 62nd and 75th minutes put Al Sadd in control.

Mostafa Mashaal added another in the fifth minute of stoppage time before Al Sailiya’s Olwan scored again in the dying moments.

“I am happy with the win and the results the team is achieving with the start of the league. We strive to continue working to achieve the best,” said Otavio after the win.

Al Sailiya are now on a four-match losing streak.

Al Shamal, Al Wakrah play out draw

At Al Bayt Stadium, Al Wakrah produced an improved performance following their 4-0 rout by debutants Lusail to secure a point against Al Shamal.

Pablo Mari put Al Shamal ahead in the 26th minute with a precise header, but Aissa Laidouni rescued a draw for the Blue Wave in the first minute of stoppage time before the interval.

Al Shamal started at a good pace, with Wesley Said denied by Mohammed Al-Bakri early in the match. After Mari’s header opened the scoring, Laidouni pounced on a rebound after Al Shamal goalkeeper Babacar Seck stopped Ayoub Assal’s shot. The second half saw several exchanges, with Baghdad Bounedjah’s fine header just missing the post in stoppage time.

The match ended on a sour note for Al Shamal when referee Mohammed Ahmed Al-Shammari showed Bounedjah a red card for a heated argument after the final whistle.

Lusail aim to build on historic win

Today, Lusail will look to build on their historic first QSL victory when they face Al Gharafa at Khalifa International Stadium.

Lusail moved to four points from three matches after thrashing Al Wakrah. Coach Emanuel Mesquita knows his side face a tougher test against Al Gharafa, who have collected three points so far and will be eager to return to winning ways under Pedro Martins.

“It has been a very positive week, the players are highly focused and enthusiastic, so we are ready for the upcoming challenge,” said Mesquita.

“The match will be difficult and we must be at our best.”

Martins said Al Gharafa must maintain their focus against a Lusail side that has made an impressive start to their debut season.

Doha, Qatar: The Qatar Football Association (QFA) Ordinary General Assembly has approved the appointment of Minister of Sports and Youth H E Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa bin Ahmed Al-Thani, as president of the association until the 2027 elective General Assembly.

The assembly also approved the appointment of Sheikh Dr. Tamim bin Mohammed Al-Thani as Vice President for the same period.

The Ordinary General Assembly was attended by H E Sheikh Hamad, Sheikh Dr. Tamim, members of the QFA Executive Committee and the Secretary General, as well as representatives of member clubs, department directors, committee heads and members.

Among the other key decisions approved during the meeting were amendments to the QFA’s statutes.

The assembly also rejected the membership application of Al Dafna Sports Club to become a member of the Qatar Football Association.

With the 2027 General Assembly scheduled to be an elective assembly, members voted to renew the QFA Elections Committee. The committee comprises Abdullah Hamed Al Mulla, Dr. Ahmed Abdulrahman Al Emadi, Ali Salem Afifa, Dr. Mahmoud Ali Al Mahmoud and Eid Ali Al Marikhi.

A short film highlighting the federation’s recent activities was also screened during the meeting.

The assembly subsequently completed a number of procedural and administrative items in accordance with the QFA statutes. Members approved the minutes of the previous General Assembly, held on June 2, 2025, as well as the federation’s activity report covering initiatives and activities carried out since the previous assembly.

The audited financial statements for the 2025 financial year were also presented and approved, together with the independent external auditor’s report. The assembly additionally approved the QFA’s budget for the 2026 financial year and appointed members to review the meeting minutes and a committee to oversee the counting of ballots.

In his closing remarks, H E Sheikh Hamad thanked Jassim bin Rashid Al Buenain and Mohammed Khalifa Al Suwaidi for their efforts and contributions during the previous period, stressing the importance of continued cooperation and collective work to advance Qatari football at all levels.

He highlighted the central role of clubs in achieving the ambitions of the game and stressed the importance of providing them with continued support to ensure steady progress and development.

Looking ahead to the federation’s strategy, H E Sheikh Hamad said greater attention should be given to youth categories, which he described as the foundation and true future of Qatari football.

He also stressed the importance of developing and supporting national footballing talent, particularly Qatari coaches, and called for them to be given greater opportunities to take charge of the technical leadership of clubs. H E Sheikh Hamad expressed strong confidence in Qatar’s football talent and emphasised collective effort would remain a key foundation for the continued development and success of the game in the country.