Qatar’s up and coming athletes came in sixth place at the recent 2018 Asian Junior Athletics Championships for Under-20s, which concluded in Japan on 10 June 2018. 
Qatar’s national athletics team, which was made up mostly of Aspire Academy graduates and current student-athletes, snatched three golds and three silvers at the competition which saw more than 437 athletes represent 35 countries.
Seven Aspire Academy athletes participated in the tournament as part of the Qatar national athletics team and brought home all six medals that placed Qatar among the top six Asian countries in the tournament. 
Two of them; Muhand Saifeldin and Nuh Andu have already graduated. Saifeldin won two gold medals in the 1,500m and 3,000m steeplechase races, whilst Andu won a silver medal in high jump after clearing an impressive 2.14m on the final day of the competition. 
Currently enrolled student-athletes have also showcased some remarkable talents that ensured further achievements, such as obtaining a world junior qualification standard, and new personal best records. 
Student-athlete Moaaz Mohamed Saber Ibrahim, who’s due to graduate by the end of June, won gold at the shot put (with a recorded distance of 18.57m) and silver at the discus throw (with a recorded distance of 61.50m). Qatar’s other silver medal was secured by teammate Bassem Hemeida for finishing the 400m hurdles in 50.55 seconds. 
Other Aspire Academy student-athletes representing the national team included Saoud Abdulaziz al-Humaidi, who came fourth for finishing the 110m hurdle race in 13.85 seconds, Owaab Barrow, who finished the 110m hurdle race in 13.89 seconds, earning him a World Junior Qualifying Standard, and Rashid Abdulla R al-Suwaidi who recorded a great long jump of 7.12 metres.
Commenting on the athletes’ achievements, Tom Crick, Head of Athletics at Aspire Academy, said: “We’re very proud of our young athletes for their great results at the Championships. The competition element of Aspire Academy’s training programme is not only helpful for the athletes’ continued performance development, it also allows them to gain experience and become accustomed to the challenges and demands of travel, performing in unfamiliar environments, weather conditions and adapting to different cultures.”
He added: “Our success in Aspire Academy is reflected in the placement of Aspire’s student-athletes, past and present, on Qatar senior national teams.
The Sports Department at Aspire Academy is responsible for the comprehensive athletic development of all Aspire Academy’s student-athletes, and it aims to prepare young athletes by focusing on their technical, tactical, physical, psychological and behavioural development. The results we’ve seen at the Championships attest to the hard efforts of everyone involved.” 
Established in 2004, Aspire Academy seeks to identify and transform talented young athletes with real potential into world-renowned champions who represent Qatar in national teams across a wide range of sports, including athletics, gymnastics, football, table tennis and refereeing.