His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa sent a congratulatory cable to President of the Republic of Côte D’Ivoire, Alasane Ouattara, on his country’s National Day.
HM the King expressed sincere congratulations, wishing him abundant health and happiness on the national occasion.
Source: Bahrain News Agency
Tokyo: Qatar’s Abderrahman Samba will gun for the gold medal in the final of Men’s 400m hurdles event at Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympic Games to be staged on Tuesday.
The world bronze medallist advanced to the final of 400m hurdles after clocking at time 47.47 in the semi-final held on Sunday.
In today’s final, Samba will face a tough task with World record holder Karsten Warholm of Norway and American Rai Benjamin also qualifying for the title showdown.
Also, on Tuesday, Qatar’s Musab Adam and Abdirahman Saeed Hassan will begin their campaign in Men’s 1500m event at the Olympic Stadium.
Adam secured his spot Tokyo Olympics when he won the qualifying 1500m race held in Doha earlier this year with a time of 3.32.41 minutes.
Abdirahman Saeed Hassan booked a spot at the Tokyo Olympic Games with a second-place finish at the II Meeting Challenge Nerja 2021 in Spain last May.
The 24-year-old comfortably dipped under the qualifying standard of 3 minutes 35 seconds with a
personal best 3:34.24.
After failing to qualify to Men’s 100m final, Femi Ogunode will participate in Men’s 200m heats on Tuesday.
For his part, Ashraf Amgad El Seify’s hopes of clinching an Olympic medal were dashed when he failed to qualify to Men’s Hammer Throw final. In the qualifications held on Monday, the Asian Games gold medallist took the 13th place with a throw of 71.84m.
On the other hand, the medal ceremony of Men’s High Jump event was held on Monday. Qatar’s Mutaz Essa Barshim and Italy’s Gianmarco Tamberi shared the gold medal while Maksim Nedasekau of Belarus took the bronze medal.
Both Barshim, 30, and the 29-year-old Tamberi cleared 2.37 metres on Sunday evening. Facing the prospect of a jump-off to decide the winner, they persuaded organisers to let them share the triumph.
The medal ceremony was attended by Qatar’s Dahlan Jumaan Al Hamad, Asian Athletics Association President and World Athletics Council Member.
Source: Qatar Olympic Committee
TOKYO – A surfer jumping in to translate for the rival who’d just beaten him. High-jumping friends agreeing to share a gold medal rather than move to a tiebreaker. Two runners falling in a tangle of legs, then helping each other to the finish line.
In an extraordinary Olympic Games where mental health has been front and center, acts of kindness are everywhere. The world’s most competitive athletes have been captured showing gentleness and warmth to one another — celebrating, pep-talking, wiping away one another’s tears of disappointment.
Kanoa Igarashi of Japan was disappointed when he lost to Brazilian Italo Ferreira in their sport’s Olympic debut.
Not only did he blow his shot at gold on the beach he grew up surfing, he was also being taunted online by racist Brazilian trolls.
The Japanese-American surfer could have stewed in silence, but he instead deployed his knowledge of Portuguese, helping to translate a press conference question for Ferreira on the world stage.
The crowd giggled hearing the cross-rival translation and an official thanked the silver medalist for the assist.
“Yes, thank you, Kanoa,” said a beaming Ferreira, who is learning English.
Days later, at the Olympic Stadium, Gianmarco Tamberi of Italy and Mutaz Barshim of Qatar found themselves in a situation they’d talked about but never experienced — they were tied.
Both high jumpers were perfect until the bar was set to the Olympic-record height of 2.39 meters (7 feet, 10 inches). Each missed three times.
They could have gone to a jump-off, but instead decided to share the gold.
“I know for a fact that for the performance I did, I deserve that gold. He did the same thing, so I know he deserved that gold,” Barshim said. “This is beyond sport. This is the message we deliver to the young generation.”
After they decided, Tamberi slapped Barshim’s hand and jumped into his arms.
“Sharing with a friend is even more beautiful,” Tamberi said. “It was just magical.”
Earlier, on the same track, runners Isaiah Jewett of the U.S. and Nijel Amos of Botswana got tangled and fell during the 800-meter semifinals. Rather than get angry, they helped each other to their feet, put their arms around each other and finished together.
Many top athletes come to know each other personally from their time on the road, which can feel long, concentrated, and intense — marked by career moments that may be the best or worst of their lives.
Those feelings have often been amplified at the pandemic-delayed Tokyo Games, where there is an unmistakable yearning for normalcy and, perhaps, a newfound appreciation for seeing familiar faces.
Restrictions designed to prevent the spread of COVID-19 have meant Olympians can’t mingle the way they normally do.
After a hard-fought, three-set victory in the beach volleyball round-robin final on Saturday at Shiokaze Park, Brazilian Rebecca Cavalcanti playfully poured a bottle of water on American Kelly Claes’ back as she did postgame interviews.
The U.S. team had just defeated Brazil but the winners laughed it off, explaining that they’re friends.
“I’m excited when quarantine’s done so we can sit at the same table and go to dinner with them. But it’s kind of hard in a bubble because we have to be away,” said Sarah Sponcil, Claes’ teammate.
For fellow American Carissa Moore, the pandemic and its accompanying restrictions brought her closer with the other surfers.
The reigning world champion said she typically travels to surfing competitions with her husband and father. But all fans were banned this year, and Moore admitted she struggled without their reassuring presence in the initial days of the Games.
Moore had flown to Japan with the U.S. team 10 days before the first heat, and soon adjusted to living in a home with the other surfers, including Caroline Marks, whom Moore considered the woman to beat.
Moore said she didn’t know Marks well before the Tokyo Games but on the night she was crowned the winner and Marks came in fourth, her rival was the first to greet her.
“Having the USA Surf team with me, it’s been such a beautiful experience to bond with them,” Moore said. “I feel like I have a whole another family after the last two weeks.”
After the punishing women’s triathlon last week in Tokyo, Norwegian Lotte Miller, who placed 24th, took a moment to give a pep talk to Belgium’s Claire Michel, who was inconsolable and slumped on the ground, sobbing.
Michel had come in last, 15 minutes behind winner Flora Duffy of Bermuda — but at least she finished. Fifty-four athletes started the race but 20 were either lapped or dropped out.
“You’re a (expletive) fighter,” Miller told Michel. “This is Olympic spirit, and you’ve got it 100%.”
Source: Voice of America
U.S. gymnast Jade Carey has won the gold medal in the floor exercise final at the Tokyo Olympics. Her performance Monday comes a day after she tripped while competing in the women’s vault final and left Ariake Gymnastics Center in tears.
Her teammate, gymnastic superstar Simone Biles is planning to compete in the balance beam final Tuesday at the Tokyo Olympic Games. Biles withdrew from the team all- around competition last Tuesday, citing mental health issues.
USA Gymnastics announced the star athlete’s return to the games in a statement: “We are so excited to confirm that you will see two U.S. athletes in the balance beam final tomorrow – Suni Lee AND Simone Biles!! Can’t wait to watch you both!”
Biles, talking about her decision to withdraw, said on social media that she was also suffering with “the twisties,” a condition in which gymnasts have trouble maneuvering in the air. The condition can be dangerous for the athletes. Biles, who is 24 years old, was seen practicing at a local Tokyo gym that had soft landing materials.
Biles did not shy away from attending the competitions of her USA teammates after her withdrawal from the team and individual all-around competitions, as well as the vault, uneven bars, and floor exercises. She was in the arena to applaud Sunisa Lee, her 18-year-old teammate, when the teenager won the all-around gymnastic championship, a category Biles was expected to win. Biles also saw Mykayla Skinner win silver in women’s vault final.
Biles is the current world champion on the balance beam.
In other events, Jasmine Camacho-Quinn of Puerto Rico won the gold for the women’s 100-meter hurdles. Camacho-Quinn was born in the U.S. and attended college in Kentucky. She decided, however, to compete under Puerto Rico’s flag since her mother is Puerto Rican.
Two men tied to win the men’s high jump, after each failed three times to conquer the Olympic-record height of 2.39 meters (7 feet, 10 inches). An official told Gianmarco Tamberi of Italy and Mutaz Essa Barshim of Qatar that they could share the gold medal and that is what the two athletes decided to do.
In another dramatic turn of events at the Tokyo Games, one of the women in a 1,500-meter heat, fell over a runner who had fallen.
Sifan Hassan, the Ethiopian-born Dutch runner tried unsuccessfully to jump over Kenya’s Edinah Jebitok who had fallen in a mishap. But Hassan never took her eyes off the prize, recovering quickly. She got up and ran past one runner after another to win the heat in 4 minutes, 5.17 seconds to move onto the semi-finals.
Source: Voice of America
Usain Bolt once tightly held on to the mantle of World’s Fastest Man in his lightening quick sprints at multiple Olympic Games.
That mantle now, however, has passed on to a Texas-born Italian — 26-year-old Lamont Marcell Jacobs who finished the 100-meter race in 9.8 seconds, clinching Italy’s first medal in the event.
“I mean, 9.8 from the Italian guy?” Canada’s Andre DeGrasse said. “I didn’t expect that. I thought my main competition would be the Americans.” DeGrasse won a bronze in the sprint with a time of 9.89.
American Fred Kerley who finished second for the silver in 9.84 seconds, said of Jacobs: “I really don’t know anything about him.”
They know now that Jacobs roundly beat them and took home the gold.
Jasmine Camacho-Quinn of Puerto Rico won the gold for the women’s 100-meter hurdles. Camacho-Quinn was born in the U.S. and attended college in Kentucky. She decided, however, to compete under Puerto Rico’s flag since her mother is Puerto Rican.
Two men tied to win the men’s high jump, after each failed three times to conquer the Olympic-record height of 2.39 meters (7 feet, 10 inches). An official told Gianmarco Tamberi of Italy and Mutaz Essa Barshim of Qatar that they could share the gold medal and that is what the two athletes decided to do.
In another dramatic turn of events at the Tokyo Games, one of the women in a 1,500-meter heat, fell over a runner who had fallen.
Sifan Hassan, the Ethiopian-born Dutch runner tried unsuccessfully to jump over Kenya’s Edinah Jebitok who had fallen in a mishap. But Hassan never took her eyes off the prize, recovering quickly. She got up and ran past one runner after another to win the heat in 4 minutes, 5.17 seconds to move onto the semi-finals.
Source: Voice of America
The Ministry of Commerce and Industry has announced the launch of the Manufacturers and Producers Directory Service via the Ministry’s website.
This step comes as part of the Ministry’s efforts to support and market national products in local markets.
The initiative also aims to enhance consumers’ awareness of the importance of national products and motivates them to give priority to purchasing these products. Additionally, it seeks to support entrepreneurs and investors and provide them with the opportunity to easily reach consumers, as well as open the markets to traders and investors to introduce new products and expand their production areas.
In this context, the Ministry called on all producers and manufacturers in Qatar to benefit from this free service by registering key information about their factories, including company name and description, the sector to which it belongs, and its contact information.
Source: Ministry of Commerce and Industry
TOKYO – The Italian high jumper leaped into his rival’s arms, then belly-flopped onto the hard track, rolled around a few times and screamed.
Gianmarco Tamberi was just getting warmed up, too.
It’s not every day you tie your good friend for gold.
Tamberi and Mutaz Barshim of Qatar agreed to the tie Sunday at the Tokyo Games in a competition settled not by clearing the top height but through a subtle nod.
Edge definitely to Tamberi, though, for the degree of difficulty in celebrations. That’s not even counting all the hugs and kisses he delivered — or all of the people he jumped into the arms of.
He was just that excited. This was that crazy of an ending.
“I still can’t believe it happened,” Tamberi said. “Sharing with a friend is even more beautiful. … It was just magical.”
In a huddle with track officials, the athletes were given the option to settle the tie with a jump-off.
Barshim had a better idea: How about two golds?
The official said that was possible.
Barshim nodded and Tamberi instantly accepted, slapping Barshim’s hand and jumping into his arms. It would be far from his last celebration.
“For me, coming here, I know for a fact that for the performance I did, I deserve that gold,” Barshim said. “He did the same thing, so I know he deserved that gold.”
It stressed sportsmanship, too — or so they hope. It also adds to Barshim’s Olympic medal collection, pairing nicely with silver in Rio and another medal at the 2012 London Games.
“This is beyond sport,” Barshim said. “This is the message we deliver to the young generation.”
Both high jumpers were perfect until the bar was set to the Olympic-record height of 2.39 meters (7 feet, 10 inches). Each missed three times.
Funny, they actually talked about this sort of situation before. Not in great detail, though.
“We just said, ‘Imagine,'” Barshim recalled. “Today, it happened.”
When Italian sprinter Marcell Jacobs surprisingly won the 100 meters a few minutes later, there was Tamberi to greet him. Not so much as greet him as celebrate by jumping into the sprinter’s arms and curling his own arm around Jacobs’ bald head.
“I was in ecstasy. My heart was exploding,” Tamberi said. “I was just full of emotions and I just screamed at him before he got in the blocks, and I just supported him. I’m the captain of the national team so I just felt to do something.”
Tamberi has kept a cast for five years — a reminder of his broken ankle just before Rio. He was in his best shape, too, which forced him to watch the Rio Games. When it came off, he wrote on it “Road to Tokyo 2020.” Then, he crossed out 2020 after the pandemic led to a postponement and wrote in red, “2021.”
“I said to myself that day, ‘I want to be back in Tokyo and I want to fight for the gold medal,'” Tamberi said.
They appeared to have all sorts of fun during a competition in which Maksim Nedasekau of Belarus earned bronze. Tamberi launched an imaginary jump shot after clearing a height.
Swish.
Barshim was the epitome of cool in shades that kept falling off after his jumps. One time, he even swatted them away after a successful leap.
They broke.
“I’ve got 50 pairs,” Barshim said.
Now, one gold.
Another for his buddy, too.
“He’s one of my best friends. Not only on the track but outside of the track,” Barshim said. “We’re always together almost. True spirit, sportsmen spirit, coming here and delivering this message.
“Appreciate what he’s done, he appreciates what I’ve done. This is amazing.”
Source: Voice of America
H.E. Omar Saif Ghobash, Assistant Minister for Cultural Affairs at the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation received a copy of the credentials of H.E. Gabriel Abed, Ambassador of Barbados to the UAE.
Ghobash wished the Ambassador success in the performance of his duties and in enhancing bilateral relations and cooperation between the UAE and Barbados.
The newly appointed Ambassador expressed his pleasure at representing his country in the United Arab Emirates, which enjoys a prestigious regional and international position thanks to the visionary policy of His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE.
Source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs & International Cooperation
Tokyo: Qatar’s Cherif Younousse and Ahmed Tijan qualified to the quarterfinals of the Tokyo 2020 men’s Olympic beach volleyball tournament.
The Qatari duo defeated USA’s Nick Lucena and Phil Dalhausser 2-1 (14-21, 21-19, 15-11) in the round-of-16 at on Sunday.
“Thank god we won this game!” Cherif exclaimed. “We were ready for a long game. We know each other really well. We trained in Orlando with them for about a month and a half. They know us really well. We know them really well. Even in practice, our games are always very long. So I can say we were not expecting an easy game. Now the first step is done. We’re ready for the second step.”
On the other hand, the world bronze medallist Abderrahman Samba of Qatar qualified to the final of Men’s 400m hurdles.
In the semifinals held on Sunday, Samba clocked a time of 47.47 seconds to secure his spot in final showdown on Tuesday.
In Men’s 100m event, Qatar’s Femi Seun Ogunode crashed out after clocking a time of 10.17 seconds in the semifinals on Sunday.
Source: Qatar Olympic Committee
Tokyo: H.E. President of the Qatar Olympic Committee (QOC) Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani dedicated the historic achievement of our weightlifter Fares Ibrahim, claiming Qatar’s first Olympic gold medal, to HH the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, HH the Father Amir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani and the Qatari people.
On this occasion, H.E. Sheikh Joaan said, ” This unprecedented accomplishment is a result of the joint efforts made by team Qatar’s golden weightlifter Fares Ibrahim, his coaching staff and the Qatar Weightlifting and Fencing Federation.”
The QOC President also lauded the huge efforts made by everyone to make this achievement possible and to raise Qatar’s flag at this mega sporting event.
H.E. Sheikh Joaan outlined that this achievement came in tune with a new Olympic record that proved the amazing talent of our young athlete Fares Ibrahim. He wished greater achievements for him in the future.
The QOC President stressed this medal is the sixth in the country’s Olympic history and the first ever gold medal for Qatar wishing best results for the team Qatar athletes in the upcoming competitions of Tokyo 2020 Olympics.
Source: Qatar Olympic Committee