DOHA TODAY

06 MONDAY 9 NOVEMBER 2020 Demand for home gym equipment soars

AYENI OLUSEGUN the gym environment may find have had to close. As gyms and compared to the same time THE PENINSULA it challenging to get the same fitness centres open, albeit with frame last year.” commitment level. adherence to preventive In Doha, most gyms are less Many of our daily routines Physical activity releases measures, there is still an crowded, and according to remain restricted during the endorphins, chemicals in the increase in the demand for some of the popular apparel coronavirus pandemic, and this brain that revitalise the mind home fitness equipment like and gym equipment sales can make exercising seem like and body and help improve virtual reality fitness equipment, outlets, they have seen a fair to a far-fetched activity. healthy well-being. Besides exercise bikes, treadmills, and a good increase in demand With the challenges of boosting mood and sleep rowing machines. during the lockdown and even working from home and limited improvement, exercise can also Online exercise equipment now despite the easing of access to fitness facilities, you strengthen your immune system, suppliers have seen a sharp restrictions. may be finding it hard to stick something that is particularly increase in sales as a result. “Some people prefer to a workout routine. Various important at this time, especially According to eBay.com sales training at home, especially workout activities we do with for older adults who are more data, “between March and April during the lockdown, and now friends are near not impossible vulnerable to COVID-19. 2020, online sales of fitness many are still afraid to go to the As gyms and fitness centres to do anymore. Those whose In the past few months, equipment increased up to 20 gyms. Some people had never open, albeit with PIC: DOLLAR GILL - UNSPLASH.COM workout intensity is boosted by most gyms and fitness centers times in some categories worked out before, and during adherence to preventive the lockdown, they had nothing to do and had to work out. This measures, there is still an sales were moving well even led to an increase in online increase in the demand for before the COVID-19 lockdown. requests, and we can say the home fitness equipment Apparels sales are also the number of people who started same,” said a Decathlon working out at home during the like virtual reality fitness manager. lockdown increased,” a equipment, exercise bikes, Decathlon is a famous manager at Go Sport told The treadmills, and rowing sports retail outlet with 1800 Peninsula. machines. stores worldwide. “During the lockdown, “We are a big retail shop, so people were ordering people do patronize. But with equipment online, but since the COVID-19 situation, sta- restrictions have been lifted, others recorded an increase in tionary bikes and treadmills people get both apparels and only equipment order com- have sold more. We are almost equipment. Some people also pared to apparel. out of stock right now, and we discovered working out at home “During the lockdown, our have to replenish soon. Our cus- may be better than going to the customers were active on the tomers are 85% of Europeans gym, especially with the locals.” website with their order. We because of the popularity of the Gym equipment While some outlets had just a little bit of increase store. But aquatics apparels recorded tremendous sales, (10%) because our equipment sales have been the same.” 8th Ajyal Film Festival to present 13 diverse feature films

Ultra-modern operating theaters

A still from the feature film 200 Meters. A still from the feature film Dino Dana.

THE PENINSULA – DOHA films to analyse and deliberate in lasting messages of hope and Norway/2020) by Ilze Burkovska their respective categories, resilience across generations and Jacobsen, Sun Children (Iran/2020) The hybrid edition of the 8th Ajyal awarding Best Film prizes ultimately inspires a sense of unity by Majid Majidi, The Reason I Jump Film Festival, presented by the accordingly. among our young jurors joining us (UK, USA/2020) by Jerry Rothwell, Doha Film Institute (DFI) from DFI supports three feature films virtually from across the globe. and The Wolves (Mexico/2019) by November 18 to 23, will show an screening in competition, Despite the challenges of this year, Samuel Kishi. inspiring selection of 13 thought- underlining the Institute’s Ajyal continues to provide a Ajyal’s Bader Jurors, aged 18 to provoking feature films from across commitment to unlock creative nurturing space where youth are 25, will choose a winner from 200 the globe online to offer voices and support quality film empowered to reach beyond Meters (Palestine, Jordan, Qatar, participants a safe event productions and reinforcing Qatar’s physical differences to find their Italy, Sweden/2020) by Ameen State-of-the-art ambulance experience. continued focus on promoting innate creative voice.” Nayfeh, An Unusual Summer fleet The hybrid event format distinctive and compelling In competition in the Mohaq (Germany, Palestine/2020) by expands the spirit of Ajyal into an narratives of universal resonance. segment for jurors aged 8 to 12 are Kamal Aljafari, Father (Serbia, inclusive virtual space for Fatma Hassan Alremaihi, Dino Dana (Canada/2019) by J.J. France, Germany, Slovenia, Croatia, immersive creative expression and Festival Director and Chief Johnson, Microplastic Madness Bosnia/2020) by Srdan Golubović, community. Executive Officer of DFI, said: “Our (USA/2019) by Atsuko Quirk and Gevar’s Land (France, Qatar/2020) Delivering inspirational stories carefully curated programme of Debby Lee Cohen, Turu, The Wacky by Qutaiba Barhamji, and Yalda, A of hope, resilience and courage international feature films inspires Hen (Spain, Argentina/2019) by Night for Forgiveness (France, using powerfully creative our youth to reflect, build important Eduardo Gondell and Víctor Germany, Switzerland, Luxemburg, narratives, the selected films will connections, and find a deeper Monigote, and Bikes (Spain/2019) Lebanon, Iran/2019) by Massoud be assessed across three separate understanding of the shared human by Manuel J. García. Bakhshi. juries – Mohaq, Hilal, and Bader. experience. With their powerful Ajyal Jurors aged 13 to 17 in the Tickets can be purchased via: Each jury is presented with narratives and diverse storytelling Hilal category will watch and www.dohafilminstitute.com/ carefully curated features and short techniques, each of the films instils evaluate My Favorite War (Latvia, filmfestival.

Highly-advanced patient VCUarts Qatar announces second Eco Lux Lab workshop information systems THE PENINSULA – DOHA Qatar created a new initiative called Eco-Luxury Laboratory,” Virginia Commonwealth University said Christopher Fink, Chair of School of the Arts in Qatar (VCUarts Fashion Design at VCUarts Qatar. Qatar) has announced the second “The initiative offers exciting Eco-Luxury Laboratory (Eco Lux opportunities for the local Qatar Lab), a virtual workshop series. community and our students to The online session titled Denim, join forces and engage world- Designers, and Divas will be held class luxury leaders and pioneers from 5 pm to 6.30 pm on November who educate and address the new 10 and presented by Bill Curtin, the codes and benchmarks of sustain- owner of Blueprint Denim Wash- ability in the global market today. house (BPD Washhouse), based in In our next series called Denim, New York. The workshop is open Designers, and Divas, we will visit to industry practitioners and the the New York-based washhouse Cutting-edge treatments for public keen to hone their of Bill Curtin, who is a master in know-how of sustainable practices sustainable denim developments cancer in the fashion industry. and counts international During the workshop, Curtin will designers and celebrities as ded- take the audience through the dif- icated clients.” At Hamad Medical Corporation we ferent phases of producing sus- Eco Lux Lab is a pioneering ini- are utilizing advanced technology and tainable denim clothing, including tiative launched by the Fashion the processes – such as tinting and Design department at VCUarts innovative systems to deliver the highest washing, typically used to give denim Qatar – a Qatar Foundation partner quality care to Qatar’s population. its characteristic look and feel. He The online session titled Denim, Designers and Divas will be held on university – in response to the will also be sharing his experiences November 10. growing realization that current of collaborating with high-end and future generations of designers brands and celebrities. Immediately in the USA. Over the years, the com- individuals and retailers keen to need to be taught the importance www.hamad.qa following the session, participants pany’s clientele has expanded to expand their knowledge and skills of sustainable fashion. will be allowed to pose questions and include Ralph Lauren, Converse, in the denim industry. Upcoming Eco Lux Lab online share their insights with Curtin. Calvin Klein, OshKosh B’gosh, J C “With sustainability being the masterclasses will feature the BPD, which calls itself a denim Penny, and Tommy Hilfiger. The new focus and responsibility of the famous Brooklyn-based fashion studio, is one of the few facilities to company has also been holding luxury sector, both locally and glo- illustrator Richard Haines and artist offer both wet and dry processes workshops and exhibitions for bally, the fashion faculty at VCUarts Helen Kirkum from London. MONDAY 9 NOVEMBER 2020 DOHA TODAY 07 Doha-based Sponix Tech wins Al Daayen celebrates Qatar Sustainability Week ‘best startup in Asia’ award THE PENINSULA – DOHA Khayarin, Director of Al Daayen Municipality, Director LANI ROSE R DIZON technologies such as AI, machine On the occasion of the cele- of Services Affairs THE PENINSULA learning, and image processing. bration of Qatar Sustainability Department, Director of And they are working with us to Week, Al Daayen Munici- Public Affairs Department, Doha-based Sponix Tech, which develop and maintain our tech- pality, in cooperation with the Head of Parks Department, has developed the world’s first nologies. We believe in com- Simaisma Al Murwab Tourist Head of Cleaning Department, technologies on purely bining technology with some- Resort, organised a bicycle and Director of Simaisma software-based immersive thing that’s profitable not only race at the olympic cycle path Tourist Resort. replay videos and real time for the market, but for the audi- in the Simaisma area. Al Daayen Municipality, virtual advertisements during ences’ passion for the sports. The event which was represented by the football matches, has been And we think that we are attended by a number of awareness team, and with winning accolades. The inventing new markets through municipality employees and the participation of all the company has been recently our technologies”. Simaisma Resort aimed at municipality’s departments, selected by Microsoft as the best Without a doubt, the tech- encouraging the practice of seeks to raise awareness startup in Asia and was also Sponix Tech Founder and CEO Mohammad Ali Abbaspour (left) preneurs behind Sponix are very sports in public places for a among citizens and residents chosen as one of the five best and Mohsen Rajabi, Business Development Director for Sponix, intentional about their mission healthy and sustainable life. about the importance of sus- companies in football inno- during an interview with The Peninsula recently. to be a game changer in the The event included tainability, which greatly vation in Austria. sports tech industry. They not planting different trees in the contributes in protecting the Sponix is a sports tech- only seek to increase fan municipality garden, in the environment and human nology startup company which engagement, but also hope to presence of Rashid Al health people. seeks to enhance sports fan create a new era for sports spon- experience and provides solu- sorship as well. The company tions and services that help has also set their sights on the broadcasters, clubs and leagues, Qatari market. In March, the Birla Public School hosts as well as advertisers in the company moved their head- sports tech industry to increase quarters from the UK to Doha, their viewers. with an aim to add value to the inter-school competition “Our immersive replay country’s growing sports technology is the first technology industry and share their inno- THE PENINSULA – DOHA Nearly 200 students were in the world that can produce SponixSponix is a sports technology startup company vation to other local market part of Virtual Competition. The this kind of immersive content which seeks to enhance ssportsports fanfan exexperienceperience players. Birla Public School hosted the quiz, show and tell, and speech anandd pprovidesrovides sosolutionslutions anandd services tthathat hhelpelp without any hardware in the “It’s very interesting for us Virtual Vista 2020, an Inter- contestants were live on Zoom. bbroadcasters,roadcasters, clubsclubs anandd lleagues,eagues, as wewellll as stadium, it’s purely software adadvertisersvertisers as a technology provider in the School Competition on Zoom. The entries for the painting, based. There’s only one com- sports field to be here, espe- A P Sharma, Principal, and music, and poster making were petitor in the world, which is a cially with the ambition Qatar Rajesh Pillai, Vice-Principal (Co received by the host school and large US-based company that of our unique remote virtual Most recently, the company has for sports technology. Also Scholastic) are the reasons judged accordingly. produces similar content. But advertisement technology, now has implemented its immersive with beIN SPORTS which is one behind the amasing initiative. The school also held a they need about $8m to $10m we are also the only company replay technology in major com- of the biggest broadcasters in The event focused on changing painting competition for SEN installations in the stadium, such in the world that can add virtual petitions including the UEFA the world, and most especially the tempo of the students from students in keeping with the as 5K cameras, servers, and ads in live feeds in real time, Champions League and worked the upcoming Qatar World Cup curricular to co-curricular inclusive policy of CBSE. Virtual infrastructure to produce their without any need for staff or with a number of clubs in which is the main reason why activities. Vista 2020 commenced with content. But we’re entering the installations in the stadium,” Europe. The company has also we chose to be here. Qatar will There were four major cat- an introduction and Arabic market without using any instal- Abbaspour added. conducted live tests on its virtual have a very big role in the sports egories for students from Grade prayer recital. lations in the stadium. We just Sponix has won the Asia ads solutions with the English industry in the region and in the I to XII, two for the Primary The Leadership team at need the feeds, and we can Startup Competition, along with Premier League and UEFA last world. We think we can create School and one for the Middle Birla encouraged the partici- make rich quality AI-based two other winners, which saw month. and add big value for all these and Senior Section each. pants with their motivating content for the football fans and the participation of about 100 In Qatar, Sponix, which is events. Our immersive replay A host of events comprising address. Jalees Bukhari, Co- sports audiences even while we startups from 22 different coun- part of the second cohort of the and virtual advertisement tech- quiz, speech, music, and art scholastic Coordinator and are sitting in our office in Doha,” tries. The event was jointly Qatar SportsTech’s award nologies were initially for were included. Team Virtual Vista were instru- Sponix Tech Founder and CEO organised by the Microsoft- winning Accelerator Pro- football, but now we’re final- The topics portrayed Qatari mental in hosting and organ- Mohammad Ali Abbaspour said powered Global Sports Inno- gramme, is also in close negoti- ising our solutions for tennis as - Indian culture and heritage ising the competitions. in an interview with The vation Center and Sport Sin- ations with the Supreme Com- well. And there are also a lot of and Qatar National Vision The teaching faculties from Peninsula recently. gapore recently. mittee for Delivery & Legacy and tennis events in Qatar. Our 2030. various departments put up a Sponix has completed its AI- Sponix was also recognised the BeINSports. technology is also very native Major Indian schools reg- wonderful show. The event based immersive replay tech- as one of the five leading com- Mohsen Rajabi, Business to the Qatar National Artifical istered their students for the proved to be a big success. nology last year, while its virtual panies in football innovation, Development Director for Intelligence Strategy, which event. Students from various The results for the various ads technology was completed and has presented its technol- Sponix, added: “Our team con- also has sports as one of its Indian schools in Qatar actively competitions will be in September. ogies at the Future of Football sists of 17 smart people who are main sections,” added participated and showcased announced on November “Also, with the completion Business Conference in Austria. experts in these new high-end Abbaspour. their talents. 14,2020. Students plant vegetable saplings at IIS THE PENINSULA – DOHA hands-on learning experience about farming, food and Media Pen and Ideal Indian nutrition and also will enhance School (IIS) in association with the chance for students to adopt Radio Malayalam 98.6, One FM healthy eating and agricultural and Qatar Stories launched practices beyond the classroom. school community based agri- Principal of Ideal Indian culture project ‘Agriventure’ School, Syed Shoukath Ali; recently. General Manager, Media Pen, The program is initiated and Binu Kumar; CEO, 98.6 FM, managed in order to educate Anwar Hussain, Heads of Sec- and bring awareness among stu- tions, Heads of Departments dents, parents and others about and Media Pen officials were the importance of agricultural Different varieties of vegetable project by planting a sapling. also present on the occasion. practices and organic farming. saplings were planted on the Speaking on the occasion Students, teachers and As a part of the project, a occasion. President of Ideal Dr. Hassan Kunhi said that parents took part in the practical farming area has been Indian School, Dr. Hassan activities of ‘Agriventure’ will program by planting a variety set up in the school premises. Kunhi M.P inaugurated the provide students with of vegetable saplings. THROUGH THE LENS

Healthcare Heroes is an exhibition featuring photos of healthcare workers representing more than 45,000 people employed across Qatar’s healthcare system to combat COVID-19. The exhibition is part of Doha Healthcare Week being held ahead of the World Innovation Summit for Health 2020. Healthcare Heroes exhibition is now open at the Fire Station outdoor exhibition space and photographs on display are by Mahmoud El Achi. PICS: SALIM MATRAMKOT/ THE PENINSULA 08 DOHA TODAY MONDAY 9 NOVEMBER 2020

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