Sport WEDNESDAY 25 AUGUST 2021 Shaheen 6-51: Pakistan on top in 2nd Test It was a (helpful) wicket and in the first innings I just tried to bowl length and work in partnerships and that brought the success. Early on you just try to bowl fuller on supportive wickets. The bowling partnerships are good with me and (Mohammad) Abbas and Hasan (Ali) and Faheem (Ashraf). Shaheen Shah Afridi Sport | 15 CL QUALIFYING PLAY-OFFS: Ferencvárosi TC 2- 3 (4-6) Young Boys, Ludogorets Razgrad 2-1 (2-3) Malmö FF, PSV Eindhoven 0-0 (1-2) Benfica We can say that our Tokyo 2020 campaign was the best in the history of Qatari sport as we Tokyo medals will be a new claimed two gold medals for the very first time when Fares Ibrahim won a gold medal in Weightlifting (96kg category) starting point: QOC President and Mutaz Barshim took the high jump gold medal. Qatar’s beach THE PENINSULA – DOHA volleyball duo, Cherif Younousse and Ahmed Tijan also clinched the The President of the Qatar Olympic bronze medal which was the first Committee (QOC), H E Sheikh Joaan bin Arabic medal in team events. Hamad Al Thani stressed that Qatar’s Qatar also led the standings of historic achievement of winning two gold medals and a bronze medal at the Arab nations at Tokyo 2020, and Tokyo 2020 Games was the result of secured the 41 st place in the the great support of the Amir H H Sheikh overall standings of the Games: Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani to Qatari QOC President Sheikh Joaan bin sport. Hamad Al Thani In an interview with local media, Sheikh Joaan said Qatar’s performance at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics was the and Sara Masoud claimed silver medals best in the history of Qatar sports, in the men’s and women’s shotput lauding the gradual increase in the tally events. of medals and the progress in overall Abdulrahman Abdulqader also ranking. claimed the gold medal at the 2017 The QOC President underlined that Personal Representative of H H the Amir, H H Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani; Minister of Culture and Sports, H E Salah World Para Athletics Championships the three medals won by Team Qatar bin Ghanem Al Ali; President of Qatar Olympic Committee,H E Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani, and other dignitaries while Sara clinched the silver medal in in Tokyo will serve as a springboard for with Qatar's Tokyo 2020 Olympics contingent upon their arrival at Doha International Airport. the same event. Qatari sport. He also confirmed that the These two champions will represent QOC will now look beyond Tokyo 2020 Qatar at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic and evaluate Qatar’s participation on Games by winning two gold medals and Games, so I wish they can do us proud both technical and administrative levels a bronze medal? during this edition of the Games. We to maintain its dominance in future A: The support of H H the Amir of the have also developed a detailed plan to tournaments. State of Qatar to Qatari sport is a driving build new generations of Paralympic Sheikh Joaan said that as a sup- force behind this achievement. It came champions in cooperation with the QPC. portive and founding partner of the as a result of many years of planning Olympic Refuge Foundation, the QOC and effort, even before I assumed the Q: Qatari women have an amazing is ready and excited to provide even Presidency of the QOC. After the record of sport achievements, how do more opportunities in this regard, which Olympic Games Rio 2016, we began you evaluate women sport journey in is why Doha hosted the training camp evaluating Qatar’s participation in that Qatar? of the IOC Refugee Olympic Team Games and developed the QOC’s stra- A: In the past, Qatari women were per- ahead of Tokyo 2020. tegic plan for 2017-2022 which is based forming sports at schools as there was Excerpts from the interview: on three main pillars, including: not an entity taking charge of their sport increasing community participation in tournaments until the first ever woman Q: Firstly, how do you evaluate Qatar’s sport, reviving the Olympic values and sport committee was founded. Her participation in the Summer Olympics ensuring sporting excellence at both Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser in its 32nd edition, Tokyo 2020? local and international levels. established the Qatar Women’s Sport A: Firstly, I want to congratulate the In this regard, I would like to praise Doha 2030 Bid Committee ChairmanH E Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani and Committee as one of the entities affil- Amir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al the efforts of the QOC secretariat- Vice-Chairperson and CEO of Qatar Foundation, H E Sheikha Hind bint Hamad iated to the Supreme Council for Family Thani, the Father Amir H H Sheikh general in implementing the plans and Al Thani, celebrate after 2030A sian Games were awarded to Doha following Affairs. In 2001, the Committee joined Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani and the programmes, as well as the contribu- a vote during the Olympic Council of Asia General Assembly in Muscat, Oman the Qatar Olympic Committee by a Qatari people on Team Qatar’s historic tions of Team Qatar’s administrative in this December 16, 2020 file photo, decision from H H the President of the achievement. I also want to thank the delegation during the Games who left QOC to increase women’s participation Qatari athletes, sports federations and no stone unturned to provide our ath- Mohamed Suleiman claimed Qatar’s Al Attiyah claimed the bronze medal in base and elevate their international par- all the QOC staff for their faithful efforts letes with an ideal environment. first-ever bronze medal at the Olympic the men’s skeet event and Barshim won ticipation to new heights. that made this accomplishment Games Barcelona 1992 in the 1500m. the men’s high jump bronze medal, At QOC, we believe in equality possible. Q: Qatar has participated in many At Sydney 2000, Said Saif Asaad taking Qatar to 76th place in the overall between men and women in sport and A total of 15 athletes have proudly Olympic Games, how do you see team clinched Qatar’s second Olympic medal standings. it is the QOC’s long term strategy which represented Qatar in seven sports at the Qatar’s benefits from these participa- when he took the bronze medal in the In Rio 2016, Barshim clinched will help Qatari women enjoy full rights Olympic Games Tokyo including ath- tions and their impact on Qatari sport? 105kg weightlifting event. Qatar’s first silver medal as Qatar took to practice sports. Qatari women’s debut letics, weightlifting, beach volleyball, A: Qatar’s first Olympic Games Qatari sport continued to make the 69th place in the medal table, while sport appearance was at the 14th Asian judo, swimming, shooting and rowing. appearance was in Los Angeles 1984, great progress, and the development of in the last edition of the Games in Tokyo, Games in Busan, where they showed We can say that our Tokyo 2020 and we have been represented at every sport in Qatar soon resulted in two Qatar claimed two historic gold medals great performances and results. Qatari campaign was the best in the history of edition of the Games since. bronze medals at London 2012. Nasser and a bronze medal. women kept their successful sport run Qatari sport as we claimed two gold Looking at these statistics, Qatar’s going in the Algeria Arab Games 2004 medals for the very first time when participation in the Olympic Games is where they won a number of medals. Fares Ibrahim won a gold medal in The goal of witnessing a significant increase in the Two years later, they claimed a number Weightlifting (96kg category) and Mutaz our tally of medals and gradual progress in of medals at the Doha 2006 Asian Barshim took the high jump gold medal. participation the ranking we occupy. Games. Most notably, Qatar’s women Qatar’s beach volleyball duo, Cherif in Tokyo handball team claimed the gold medal Younousse and Ahmed Tijan also was not limited to Q: Qatar has made great strides in Par- in the West Asian Games 2016. clinched the bronze medal which was alympic sports, can you please tell us Also,Qatari woman raised up the scale the first Arabic medal in team events. winning medals, about the development of these sports of challenges to bring glorious achieve- Qatar also led the standings of Arab but also included in Qatar, and latest preparations for the ments in table tennis, basketball, nations at Tokyo 2020, and secured the developing the Paralympic Games in Tokyo? handball, the latest of them was at the 41 st place in the overall standings of skills of our Q: The State of Qatar has reaffirmed its GCC Games held in Kuwait. the Games. promising great interest in Paralympic sports and At the Olympic Games level, Qatari I would also like to underline that the Qatar Paralympic Committee (QPC) women’s debut appearance was at the the goal of our participation in Tokyo champions and is working hard to make us proud in Olympic Games London where we was not limited to winning medals, but building a new upcoming events. This is aligned with fielded four athletes and Qatar’s shooter, also included developing the skills of generation of Qatar’s commitment to being an open Bahiya Al Hamad, was the county’s flag our promising champions and building Qatari athletes and and accessible country for all.