The Team Qatar Village at the Aspire Park was transformed into a beehive of activity on Tuesday as several thousands thronged the venue for the National Sport Day (NSD) celebrations.
The unique power of the sport to unite, inspire and connect people of different walks of life was discernible throughout the day with people gathering in large numbers across the venue to celebrate the occasion.
The Qatar Olympic Committee (QOC) joined forces with its national federations to organise multiple activities that spread the fun and excitement among participants. Qatar’s sporting champions were on hand to provide tips, demonstrations and motivation.
Started in 2012 as a public holiday to share and celebrate Qatar’s passion for sport and promote the importance of sport as an integral part of everyday life, NSD has once again increased in strength and popularity as Qatar comes alive through sport.




Girls take part in skipping at the Team Qatar Village. 




Judokas demonstrate their skills.

In addition to the Aspire Park, the public were able to try new sports, pick up old ones and discover new talents at key hubs in Katara, Al Shaqab, Lusail, the Qatar Women’s Sport Committee and the Qatar Paralympic Committee, with a total of 72 events taking place around the country.
Schools across Qatar also partnered with the Qatar School Sport Federation to stage fun and educational activities for students of all ages.
Qatar Olympic Commitee president HE Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad al-Thani, and Secretary General Jassim al-Buenain participated in the Team Qatar Village activities with athletes and children as part of a tour of all the national federation activities around Qatar.
Commenting on National Sport Day, Sheikh Joaan said “we are proud that Qatar is one of the few countries in the world and the first in the Middle East to dedicate a public holiday to the National Sport Day. This year, the Qatar Olympic Committee has organised 72 sporting activities around Qatar for all ages and abilities as part of our vision and commitment to ensuring everyone has the opportunity to participate in sport.
“Once again, National Sport Day has provided a unique platform to inspire and unite our nation through sport and share the Olympic spirit in one place. This year we’ve been committed to putting excitement and enjoyment at the heart of all the sporting activities on offer. We are determined to see an increase in physical activity in our country, not simply on the basis of the number of people taking part, but because of the wider value it will have for our collective health, well-being and happiness, as individuals and as a society.
“It has also been so wonderful to see so many Team Qatar athletes participating in our activities with the public today. Their achievements are an inspiration to our nation and they are excellent role models for our young people,” said Sheikh Joan.
The QOC last year launched a new sporting vision that aims to increase community participation in sport, spread the Olympic values and produce more sporting champions. With 14 different sports in one area, the Team Qatar Village was able to promote multiple sports by providing taster sessions, competitive activities and coaching support, whilst spotting new talent and identifying Qatar’s potential future sporting champions. 
Sports on offer included gymnastics, athletics, fencing, weightlifting, wrestling, boxing, taekwondo, judo, basketball, tennis, squash, sailing, kayaking, volleyball, hockey, rugby, cricket, table tennis, golf and school sports.
In Katara, a range of activities were on offer including handball, equestrian, rowing, cycling, triathlon, air sports, karate, chess and rugby, while a swimming open day took place at Hamad Aquatic Centre.
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