PUBLIC INVITED TO TRAIN WITH A CHAMPION ON 2018 NATIONAL SPORT DAY
DOHA, February 12, 2018- With just two days to go until 2018 National Sport Day (NSD), the Qatar Olympic Committee (QOC) are providing the opportunity for everyone and anyone to train with Qatar's sporting heroes at the Team Qatar Village in Doha's Aspire Park on 13th February. Over 14 different sporting activities will be on offer from 8:30am-4pm with Team Qatar athletes on hand to provide tips, advice and demonstrations.
NSD was first established in 2012 with the aim of uniting the nation in a shared celebration of sport and inspiring people to lead active and healthy lifestyles, and since then has grown in strength and numbers year upon year. This year's NSD is set to be the biggest and best so far with a total of 72 events taking place across multiple locations in Qatar from early morning until late afternoon, with thousands of people expected to turn out to participate and enjoy sport.
Speaking ahead of NSD, Secretary General of the QOC, H.E. Jassim Al Buenain, said:
“National Sport Day is all about seizing the opportunity to try new sports, kick-start a healthy and active lifestyle and generally share and spread the fun and enjoyment of participating in sport with friends and family. There are no better people to inspire and encourage budding athletes of any age and ability than our sporting heroes and we invite everyone to come down to the Team Qatar Village, meet our athletes and join in our activities. Whether you have ambitions to be a future Olympic champion, or simply want to find a new sport to enjoy, there will be something on offer for everyone. We can't wait to set Qatar alight through the spirit of sport once again this year!"
The strength of NSD and growth in sport in Qatar in general over the years can be seen by the significant increase in the number of athletes representing Qatar on an international stage, as well as the number participating at a grass-roots level. Team Qatar athletes will be available on NSD to meet the public, participate in the activities and answer questions, helping to spot new talent and inspire future sporting heroes! Key athletes in attendance will include members of Qatar's 2018 Asian Championship winning handball team, Kamal Mallash, Abdulrazzaq Murad and Ahmed Maddady, gymnastics superstars Ahmed Nabil who competed in last year's World Championships and 2014 Youth Olympian, Nadine Wahden, 3x3 basketball legend and 2014 World Champion, Yassin Ismail, and two-time World Junior Champion and senior world silver medallist in weightlifting, Fares Ibrahim, plus many more.
Commenting on why people should try handball, Kamal Mallash said:
“Always try out new sports! Handball is one of the fastest sports in the world and I encourage everyone to give it a shot!"
Meanwhile, Fares Ibrahim said:
“I invite everyone to try out weightlifting on National Sport Day this year! It is a fantastic sport that made me who I am today – an Olympic finalist, a world silver medallist and a two-time World Junior Champion!"
In an exciting year for gymnastics in Qatar, Ahmed Nabeel said:
“Gymnastics is a unique sport because it requires a lot of mental strength, persistence and courage! I was so proud to represent Qatar in the 2017 FIG Artistic Gymnastics World Championships in Montréal last year and can't wait to compete in front of home crowd in October's FIG Artistic Gymnastics World Championships in Doha!"
The QOC has partnered with its National Federations to organise many different sporting activities in order to showcase the very best of each sport and encourage people to get involved on a regular basis. The Team Qatar Village will feature coaching, demonstrations and competitions in gymnastics, athletics, fencing, weightlifting, wrestling, boxing, taekwondo, judo, basketball, tennis, squash, sailing, kayaking, volleyball, hockey, rugby, cricket, table tennis, golf and school sports.
Elsewhere in Qatar, the public are able to try out shooting at an open day at Lusail Shooting Range, visit Katara for a range of activities including handball, equestrian, rowing, cycling, triathlon, air sports, karate, chess and rugby, participate in a swimming open day at Hamad Aquatic Centre, find out more about para-sport at the Qatar Paralympic Committee headquarters, visit the Qatar Women's Sport Committee for a range of activities at its premises in Al Waab, and try equestrian at Al Shaqab. A full schedule of events can be found at the end of this article.
The NSD activities will also provide an opportunity for the public to learn more about the sports that have major upcoming events in Qatar, including the 2018 FIG Artistic Gymnastics World Championships taking place at the Aspire Dome in October and the 2019 IAAF World Championships in Athletics, which will take place one year later in Khalifa International Stadium. Both events will be coming to the Middle East for the first time in their history and will see the world's sporting superstars competing in Qatar's capital. Qatar residents will get an early opportunity to welcome some of the world's best gymnasts in March as the Aspire Dome will host the Gymnastics World Cup event for the 11th consecutive year, which will also act as a test event for gymnastics' flagship event later in the year.
You can keep up to date with all news and information on the Team Qatar social media channels, as well as by signing up to the Team Qatar Club, where you will also have access to exclusive content, offers and competitions. It is free and easy to sign up – just head to www.olympic.qa/en/teamqatarclub.
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