Qatar’s growing status in the sports arena is not limited to its hosting capabilities. The nation continues its fruitful journey in nurturing sporting talents, with Qatari athletes’ participation at the highest levels of international competition exemplifying the country’s success in developing its sports infrastructure and talent pool for future generations to build upon.
A year after hosting the best tournament in FIFA World Cup’s history, Qatar’s national football team – known by its fans as ‘Al Annabi’ (The Maroons) – were crowned champions of the AFC Asian Cup for the second consecutive time. The unprecedented edition of the continental tournament held in Doha followed the team’s initial triumph in 2019—the first in Qatar’s history.
Al Annabi also took the Arabian Gulf Cup home three times – in 1992, 2004, and 2014 – in addition to securing the gold medal in the 2006 Asian Games in Doha, showcasing the rich spectrum of Qatar’s sporting prowess.
Qatar and the Olympics
Qatar’s Olympic journey is marked by milestones of success and excellence. The nation celebrated its first Olympic silver medal at the London Olympics in 2012, won by Mutaz Barshim in the high jump event. Barshim continued to shine by claiming the silver again at the Rio Olympics in 2016, before securing a gold medal at the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) World Championships in London the following year, leading to his crowning as the Men’s Athlete of the Year by the IAAF.
In 2019, Barshim added another gold medal to his collection at the IAAF World Championship in Doha, becoming the first athlete to defend the high jump title at the global event.
Tokyo 2020
The 2020 Summer Olympics (Tokyo 2020) represented a historic high point for Qatari sports, as the nation secured three medals for the first time—two golds and one bronze. The gold medals were won by Fares Ibrahim in the weightlifting competition and Mutaz Barshim in the high jump competition, while the beach volleyball duo of Cherif Younousse and Ahmed Tijan captured the bronze, marking the first time an Arab country won a medal in a team sport at the Olympics.
This exceptional performance positioned Qatar as the top Arab country in the 2020 Summer Olympics, with both Ibrahim and Barshim being featured in Forbes Middle East’s prestigious ‘30 Under 30’ list for 2021.
In the realm of Paralympic sports, Qatar has demonstrated its commitment to supporting athletes with special needs. At the 2016 Paralympic Games in Rio, Abdulrahman Abdulqader and Sara Masoud won two silver medals, and at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics, Abdulqader earned a bronze medal in the men’s shot-put event, with Sara Masoud taking part in the same event for women, ranking sixth and beating her own personal record.
Qatari rally driver Nasser Al Attiyah, a world champion in his discipline, has claimed the Dakar Rally title in 2011, 2015, 2019, 2022 and 2023. In the shooting sports arena, Al Attiyah secured a bronze medal at the London Olympics in 2012 and another at the 2023 Asian Games in the men’s skeet shooting competition.
In 2021, Qatari champion Amal Mohammed claimed the running target event gold medal at the Asian Airgun Championship in Kazakhstan, further showcasing the depth of Qatar’s sporting talent.
The 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou
The 2023 Asian Games, the continental event’s 19th edition held in Hangzhou, claimed continued success for Qatar, with world champion Mutaz Barshim securing a gold medal in the high jump event and becoming the first athlete in Asia to win this title in three editions.
The Qatari delegation brought home 14 medals—five gold, six silver and three bronze medals—demonstrating Qatar’s sustained excellence and competitive spirit on the Asian sports stage.
One of the gold medals won was claimed by the handball team, making it the first to achieve this feat three times in a row, following the title wins at the 2014 and 2018 Asian Games.
In 2012, Qatari swimmer Nada Mohamed became the first female to represent Qatar at the London Olympics.
Nurturing Athletic Talent
In nurturing future champions, the Qatar Olympic Committee launched the Team Qatar Club, a new sports initiative aimed at encouraging youth participation in competitive sports, building on the ‘Be An Athlete’ program designed to cultivate a new generation of Qatari sports champions.
Moreover, to showcase its dedication to enhancing the sports culture in Qatar, the Qatar Olympic Committee organises an annual Sports Excellence Day. Celebrated since 2008, it highlights the achievements of Qatari athletes, motivating them to strive for greatness and inspire future generations.
