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With the Qatar National Sport Day (NSD) just a few days away, some of the country’s most famous athletes have been inspiring a new generation of youngsters into using the day to boost their sporting skills, health and fitness. |
As ambassadors for the 2014 installment of NSD, to be celebrated on February 11, Qatari Olympic flag-bearer Bahiya Mansour, Paralympian Abdulrahman Abdulqader and national football legend Adel Khamis visited Qatar International School to pass on their knowledge and experiences on the benefits of sport.
Speaking to the group of over 100 boys and girls, Bahiya Mansour said: “Sport means the world to me and has given me the most incredible opportunities. To think sitting here amongst this group could the next generation of Qatari sports stars is incredibly exciting and what better place to start than with the National Sport Day on February 11. To develop as a sporting nation we need our youngsters to be out exercising, being fit and healthy, and enjoying community sports activities.”
A public holiday, the National Sport Day aims to give the people of Qatar an opportunity to kickstart a future of healthy living with an unrivalled schedule of free sporting events across the country.
As the sole representative of Qatar at the London Paralympics in 2012, Abdulrahman Abdulqader shared his experiences with the young group, saying the benefits of sport are countless.
“We are so lucky to have this day to spend with our friends and families and take steps to becoming fitter and healthier. You should use this National Sport Day to focus on just how good exercise is for your body and mind. The benefits are countless. It’s time for blue sky thinking and by that I mean getting outside and having fun. Put down the computer games and pick a tennis racquet or football or get on your bike. It’s going to be a day of incredible excitement and I genuinely hope we can all share in the positivity which sport breeds,” the paralympian urged.
From cycling to swimming, football to basketball, tennis to tae kwon do, countless free sporting sessions accessible to all, will be taking place throughout Qatar as the celebrations to highlight the importance of healthy living reach a new peak.
Looking ahead to the occasion, NSD event ambassador and Qatar’s most-capped international footballer, Adel Khamis, said: “It’s immensely exciting to sit with you here today and play a positive role in developing your passion for sport. Exercise is the most natural thing for our bodies to do; we are built to be mobile and active. Through exercise we gain fitness, better health and sharper minds.
“Through sport we allow our bodies to show us just what they are capable of and all the while we get to enjoy the company of our friends and teammates. I hope you can use the day to take another step towards your positive development in sport and in life.”
Following the talk, a group of young pupils have issued their reply to the athletes’ calls to action and outlined what they hope to achieve on February 11.
“I’ve always enjoyed sport but hearing the stories about our athletes’ experiences just shows how passionate and committed you have to be and it has really inspired me. It’s so exciting to think that we could be representing our country in the future and now I know the hard work I’m going to have to put in to achieve that goal,” said Sultan al-Mohannadi.
Another young pupil, Yasir Yusri, said he was looking forward to the day. “The way the athletes spoke about the unity aspects of sport and how it brings people together really appealed to me. With it being a public holiday it’s a great chance for my whole family to spend the day together and get active,” he said.
Ahmed Bilal, from the Qatar International School, added: “The athletes were very inspiring and they have made me think a lot about how lucky we are to have this National Sport Day. I know now that I want to push myself to the limit in terms of sport.”
Featuring a traditional boat race and the legendary sport walk, as well as the biggest ever line-up of free events, the NSD 2014 is set to be the largest and most widely celebrated day of sport ever witnessed in the country.
Kickstarting the festivities will be the opening of Qatar Olympic Committee’s specially-built sport zone which will welcome all from February 6. Along with the extensive sporting events across the country, National Sport Day will also focus on Qatari culture with a traditional Al Shawahef rowing championship opening the proceedings on the day. The event will act as a reminder of Qatar’s ancient sporting heritage and the role it has played in the country’s most recent sporting developments.
Official participating venues for the event include: Aspire, Katara, The Pearl, Souq Waqif, Al-Refaa Street and many more. Further details are available on www.sportday.qa
While ExxonMobil is the Official Sponsor of the NSD celebrations, Sports Corner, Astad Project Management, Zoom Events and Production, VLCC Slimming, Skin and Hair Services are the Gold Sponsors. Silver Sponsors are Aspetar, Weil Cornell Medical College, Jungle Zone and LuLu.