With less than 100 days to go until the London 2012 Olympic Games, the British embassy and the Qatar Olympic Committee (QOC) started the countdown by inviting local school children to join in a 100m relay race and reception.Children from Doha English Speaking School, Doha College, Al Markhiya Independent School for Girls and Umm Alqora Independent School for Boys took part in the race held at Qatar Sports Club stadium. All the children received a certificate confirming their participation in the ‘100m relay race marking the final countdown to London 2012’ and small Olympic memento. Qatari athletes Nour al-Malki and Ibrahim Ismail met the children and shared their own experiences in sport.Claire Evans, British chargé d’affaires, and Khalil Ibrahim Jaber, Director of QOC Sports Affairs, hosted the event, which was attended by representatives from QOC, Qatar Association for Athletics Federation and UK businesses.Speaking about the 100 Day milestone, Evans said: “British embassies across the world are celebrating the final countdown to the Olympics and I am pleased that Doha was able to join them in marking this occasion. I am particularly pleased we were able to co-host this with the Qatar Olympic Committee and am grateful for all their help in making it such a great day.
“Qatar and the UK both share a love of sport and hosting international sporting events, and believe in the importance of encouraging new generations of young people to experience the joys and benefits of sport. So it was an immense pleasure to watch children from both the Qatari and British schools get involved and experience from Qatar’s elite athletes first hand, the important role sport can play in people’s lives. All the staff at the British embassy also wish the Qatar Olympic athletes all the very best at the Games.”Evans added: “The London 2012 Games will be a fantastic event and will be a proud moment for Britain. It will be a chance for the world to experience Great Britain at its best. Britain’s unique blend of the old and the new – the history and heritage of our castles, landscapes and royal houses to the cutting-edge culture of our music and art, our theatre and fashion to the investment and business opportunities we have to offer. We hope that many of our Qatari friends will join us”.
Jaber praised the ongoing preparations by the local “London 2012” Olympic Games Organising Committee for hosting these games, expressing confidence that these games will witness all the expected success, and that it will be another opportunity to renew faith in the Olympic values among participants, and at the same time wishing the Qatari mission all the success for participating in these Games. Jaber pointed out that 17 Qatari athletes will take part in the London Olympics, including three female athletes.