(From left): Dahlan al-Hamad, President of Qatar Athletics Federation, along with Mohamed Jassem al-Kuwari, QAF General Secretary, and Fahad al-Hajri, Media & Broadcast Manager, during the press briefing to announce the 18th Men’s & Women’s Arab Athletics Championships to be held from May 21-24 at the Qatar Sports Club.
By Sports Reporter /Doha
The 18th Arab Athletics Championships will get underway at the Qatar Sports Club from May 21-24. This was announced at a press briefing yesterday by Qatar Athletic Federation President Dahlan al-Hamad.
In all, 368 athletes from 17 countries will be participating in the event, which will be the last opportunity for the Arab athletes to book a place in the World Championships and the Youth World Championships, to be held in Moscow and Ukraine, respectively, later this year.
“We are extremely pleased to organise the Arab Athletics Championships for the first time here,” said al-Hamad, adding that his federation has the experience of hosting top-level athletics events.
“Like the previous events, we are confident that the Arab Athletics Championships to be held this week will be a huge success. It is the oldest event that was started in 1977, in Damascus, and it’s great that we have got the opportunity be the host nation. We would like to put our best foot forward,” revealed al-Hamad.
Already, six of Qatar’s athletes have qualified for the World Championships and QAF is looking forward to some good results in this event from the athletes to increase that tally.
High-jumper Mutaz Essa Barshim, who won his event at Saturday's Diamond League meeting in Shanghai, would be Qatar's big hope to bring home a gold from Moscow. Barshim won the high-jump event in Shanghai with a jump of 2.33 metres.
“We are hoping that we can bag a few more places from this tournament for the World Championships. This event gives all those Arab athletes who have missed out to have one more shot for a place in the World Championships and I’m sure everyone will be giving their best,” said al-Hamad.
Qatar will be fielding 31 athletes including four women in the four-day event. The women athletes will be taking part in 100m, discuss-throw, hammer throw and heptathlon.
Mohamed Jassem al-Kuwari, QAF General Secretary and Director of the LOC Arab Athletics Championships Doha 2013, revealed that the preparations were going on in full swing.
“Everything is going as per plan and we are ready to welcome 400 athletes from 17 Arab countries. The Diamond League was a huge success and we hope we can rope in some good crowd for this event as well,” revealed al-Kuwari.
Al Kass Sports channel will be the host broadcaster of the championships, broadcasting the event live on all four days of the competition.