Sports Tuesday, July 13, 2021 15 Refugee Olympic Team athletes begin their training at Aspire ahead of Tokyo Olympics

Tribune News Network Doha

The athletes of Refugee Olympic Team began their training camp at Aspire Dome in Doha on Monday. The camp is being held under the aus- pices of the Qatar Olympic Committee (QOC) ahead of their participation in the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo. The 29 members of the Refugee Olympic Team will be competing across 12 sports at Tokyo Olympics including; Athletics, Swimming, Bad- minton, Boxing, Cycling, Judo, Karate, Shooting, Taekwondo, Weightlifting and Wrestling. The training camp re- flects the strong partnership between the QOC, the Inter- national Olympic Committee (IOC) and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refu- gees through the Olympic Refuge Foundation. The QOC is a supportive and founding partner of the Olympic Refuge Foundation which aims to continue the efforts adopted by the IOC over the past years to sup- port refugees all over the world. This will be the second ap- pearance for Refugee Olympic Team athletes in Olympics Games as they competed for the first time in the Rio 2016 Olympic Games with 5 ath- letes from South Sudan, two athletes from Syria, two ath- letes from Democratic Repub- lic of Congo and one athlete from Ethiopia. During the Opening Cer- emony, the team will march with the Olympic flag in sec- ond position, immediately af- ter Greece and for all official representations of the team (including possible medal ceremonies), the Olympic flag will be raised, and the Olympic anthem will be played. The Syrian athlete Aram Member athletes of the Olympic Refugee Team during their opening training session at the Aspire Dome in Doha on Monday. The training camp is being held under the auspices of the Qatar Olympic Committee (QOC) Mahmoud who will partici- ahead of their participation in the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo. pate in Badminton competi- tions stressed that he is happy “The Olympic Games will The team’s roster: Sudan), Aram Mahmoud (Syria), Derafshipour (Iran), Jamal Abdel- somah Ali Zada (Afghanistan), Likonyen (South Sudan), Saeid to visit Qatar for the first time provide us with the opportuni- Abdullah Sediqi (Afghanistan), Cyrille Fagat Tchatchet (Came- maji Eisa Mohammed (Sudan), Muna Dahouk (Syria), Nigara Fazloula (Iran), Sanda Aldass and lauded the efforts made ty show the world what we can Ahmad Badreddin Wais (Syria), roon), Dina Pouryounes Lan- James Chiengjiek Nyang (South Shaheen (Afghanistan), Paulo (Syria), Tachlowini Gabriyesos by the Qatari officials to hold do and that we can compete Ahmad Alikaj (Syria), Aker Al geroudi (Iran), Dorian Keletela- Sudan), Javad Mahjoub (Iran), Amotun Lokoro (South Sudan), (Eritrea), Wael Shueb (Syria), this successful training camp at this high level” said Aram Obaidi (Iraq), Alaa Maso (Syria), (Congo), Eldric Samuel Sella Kimia Alizadeh Zenozi (Iran), Popole Misenga (Democratic Re- Wessam Salamana (Syria), and in Doha. Mahmoud. Anjelina Nadai Lohalith (South Rodriguez (Venezuela), Hamoon Luna Solomon (Eritrea), Ma- public of Congo), Rose Nathike Yusra Mardini (Syria). Ace Saudi shooter Saeed Al Mutairi training New Zealand to send their largest at QSAA’s Lusail range ahead of Olympics ever team to Olympic Games gain the opportunities and ambitions that put us at the forefront of the teams partici- New Zealand will be pating in the Tokyo Olympics. represented by 211 “The training atmosphere New Zealand surfers athletes at Tokyo 2020 is good despite the prevailing Ella Williams and Billy heat conditions, but we try to Stairmand pose after - the largest contin- put a break in order to have being named in the gent ever; most female more possible time for train- New Zealand team ing. We will be in a period of for the Tokyo 2020 athletes to represent rest before participating and Olympic Games the nation at an this will be an opportunity to (Getty Images for Olympic Games; New renew the final preparations, NZOC/Olympics.com) and we hope, through the Zealand’s women’s Skeet shooter Saeed Al Mutairi in action at the shooting range. successes to add to the Saudi football team first to sport more.” get their campaign Tribune News Network since the Qatar Olympic Com- Majid Al Nuaimi, Secre- Doha mittee and the Qatar Archery tary-General, QSAA, said: We Olympics.com these postponed Games. We’re tion gets underway in a week’s underway, against and Archery Association has are proud of the presence of extremely proud of the team time. Australia on Saudi Arabia’s national welcomed me to prepare my- Saeed Al Mutairi at the Lusail ew Zealand, a nation and the way they’ve handled all Meanwhile history will be 21 July 2021. shooter Saeed Al Mutairi has self for the Olympics,” he said. Shooting Ranges Complex and Nwith a population of 5.1 the uncertainty. made as Dame Valerie Adams arrived in Doha to train ahead “I have previously par- it comes within the framework million, will be represented “It’s now time to focus on becomes the second New Zea- of the Toyo 2020 Olympics. ticipated in the Qatar Open of general sports cooperation strongly at the Olympic Games wearing the fern and represent- land female athlete to attend jor focus for New Zealand. The skeet shooter will train at Shooting Championships with and shooting in particular, in Tokyo 2020 with their largest ing New Zealand to the best of five Olympic Games. Athletes have been train- Qatar Shooting and Archery the presence of more than addition to consolidating sports ever team. our abilities in Tokyo.” Waddell, along with an ad- ing in heat chambers and hold- Association’s (QSAA) range at three hundred athletes from relations between the two With 211 athletes set to The majority of the team vance team, arrived in Tokyo ing heat camps in hot and hu- Lusail till July 16. all over the world. I found en- countries. The brotherhood bestow the silver fern on their hail from Auckland with 52 late last week to begin setting mid location, while specialist An Asian Games gold me- thusiasm at the tournament and the distinguished relations chest, the team will be made athletes from the region, up New Zealand’s area in the ice vests and slushy machines dalist at Hiroshima in 1994, Al something that has made me between the two countries es- up of 101 females and 110 while Bay of Plenty - on the Olympic Village. have been utilised. Heat coun- Mutairi has also won gold and return to the Lusail shooting pecially as it is a period of good males who will compete across northwestern part of the “We’re working really hard termeasures are also in place. silver at the Arab champion- range before heading to To- preparation and the exchange 22 sports, including two new North Island - Canterbury, to create a strong performance “Ironically there’s been a ships in Baku and Cairo. kyo,” he added. of experiences between the Qa- Olympic sports: karate and which encapsulates Christch- environment in our section of bit of rain since we’ve arrived Al Mutairi expressed his Italian Davide, the coach tari and Saudi sport.” surfing. urch and Queenstown along the village, which allows the in Tokyo but there are some happiness for the warm re- of the Saudi national team, “Al Mutairi choosing the It will also be New Zea- with Wellington and Waika- athletes to perform to their really high temperatures fore- ception and facilitation of all said, “I see Saeed Al Mutairi Lusail range as the last stop land’s largest ever number of to, are also well-represented peak,” Waddell said. cast,” Waddell said. procedures for the transfer of training in Qatar as a great before heading to Tokyo is female Olympians, just nar- within the team. “We’re setting up our own New Zealand’s football his equipment seeking to train opportunity, especially with evidence of the great reputa- rowly eclipsing the record set The youngest member of high-performance gym, kitch- and canoe slalom athletes well towards achieving suc- the presence of Qatari athletes tion enjoyed by the shoot- at Rio 2016, of 100, while 33 the team is 17-year-old swim- en and health areas. We also have hit the ground running cess in Tokyo for Saudi Arabia. and the advanced training fa- ing range in Qatar as also the athletes are of Māori descent. mer Erika Fairweather, who is have two shipping containers in Japan, being the first of the “My presence in this period cilities that the Lusail shoot- high standards of shooting “This Olympic buildup has in her final year of high school to offload which contain things teams to arrive. increases my focus in order to ing ranges possesses. I think of Qatari athletes. We always been extremely challenging with 51-year-old Bruce Goo- like sporting equipment, hand The women’s football reach the best results. I know that the Qatari sponsorship welcome all athletes and con- and unique,” said New Zea- din, who will participate in the sanitiser and cooling fans.” team, nicked the Football that the Olympics are not easy, of sports in all its events has tribute in achieving their goals land’s Chef de Mission, Rob equestrian jumping event, is Preparing for the hot and Ferns, will be the first New but I am here to achieve the had a clear impact on the pro- by providing all opportunities. Waddell. the oldest team member. humid temperatures in Japan, Zealand team in action when goal, which will be a turning gression of the level of shoot- We hope Al Mutairi’s ambi- “I’d like to thank all 211 ath- Of the 211, more than half particularly for teams and in- they take on trans-Tasman point in the field of shooting ing athletes in Qatar I hope tions come true and we wish letes for the grit and determina- will be making their Olympic dividuals competing in and rivals Australia on 21 July at at the Saudi level, especially through this camp that we will him all success.” tion they’ve shown to make it to debut at Tokyo 2020 when ac- around Tokyo, has been a ma- Tokyo Stadium.