People from around the country will join sports and cultural bodies, ministries, public and private organisations and various companies in celebrating the country's seventh National Sport Day today.

A wide range of activities and attractions has been lined up at venues around Qatar for all age groups, highlighting the importance of sports in developing a healthy lifestyle and staying fit through the year.

Aspire Zone Foundation (AZF), Katara - the Cultural Village Foundation, Qatar Foundation (QF), the Museum of Islamic Art Park and The Pearl-Qatar are among the venues hosting National Sport Day activities today. Special events have also been organised by major malls/shopping centres as well as community organisations, while popular public places such as the Corniche, parks around the country and beaches are also expected to see a lot of activity today.

Since 2012, the National Sport Day has been observed every year on the second Tuesday of February.

AZF has said it is utilising its world-class indoor and outdoor facilities to offer visitors a range of unique events as part of the Sport Day celebrations. Besides, a large number of sports federations as well as 22 government organisations and private companies are also taking part in activities at Aspire Zone.

AZF’s National Sport Day is expected to attract thousands of visitors. A number of outdoor and indoor family-friendly activities are lined up for this occasion, some of which are being introduced for the first time. This year’s highlights include the Fun Run, dodgeball, Nordic Walk, Japanese kendo demonstrations, various indoor activities at Aspire Dome and children’s activities on Pitch 10.

The Katara Sport Day programme starts at 8am, and various activities will be presented in co-operation with 62 entities, including 11 ministries, 10 sports federations and 24 health and food establishments.

The activities on offer include Roman wrestling, tennis, sailing boats, football, a parade of children with special needs as well as nautical games. Organic healthy food, animal food products, low-calorie dishes, healthy sweets, organic juices and healthy coconut water will also be provided at the venue. The activities will continue until 6pm along the esplanade and Katara Beach.

QF will celebrate National Sport Day at a number of venues with a host of fun and exciting activities suitable for the whole family. Events will be held across Oxygen Park, Al Shaqab, Ceremonial Court and the Green Spine.

QF’s programme will kick off with a 2km walkathon, setting out from the Education City Student Centre at 8am. A 40km cycling event and a 50km ultra marathon will take place for more experienced athletes, starting at the Ceremonial Court at 8.20am. Al Shaqab will stage a day-long sporting festival titled ‘The Challenge’, where members of the community are invited to compete in teams across a series of challenging physical activities. The event, which runs from 9am to 4pm, is for those over 16 years and will include activities that focus on strength, strategy, balance, concentration and competition.

Meanwhile, other venues such as The Museum of Islamic Art Park, Asian Town, Mall of Qatar, Doha Festival City and The Pearl-Qatar, among others, will also host several events that are expected to attract big crowds.

Ministries and government bodies, too, have lined up special events to mark the occasion, while Hamad Medical Corporation will carry out awareness activities at its facilities and different venues.

A large number of companies have also arranged a number of events for their staff members on the occasion. Several expatriate organisations have invited sports celebrities from their countries who will be joining the events along with the community members on the occasion.

* Weather forecast for Sport Day

Strong winds are expected in parts of the country at times today, the Qatar Met department has said. Windy conditions are also likely offshore along with high seas, and poor visibility is expected later. The wind speed may go up 20 knots inshore and 32 knots offshore, with the sea level rising to 12ft. It could also get dusty in inshore areas at times and moderate temperature is likely during the day, along with a cold night, while dusty conditions has been forecast offshore later in the day. The minimum and maximum temperatures in Doha are expected to be 17C and 28C, respectively.

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