The Qatar Athletics Federation is preparing to host the Gulf Junior Athletics Championships on the track and field of Suhaim bin Hamad Stadium at Qatar SC from 20-22 February, with the participation of three countries: Qatar, Kuwait and the Sultanate of Oman. The organising committee had invited all Gulf countries to take part in the championships, but only Kuwait and Oman agreed to participate, and the competition will feature all events. The championships’ supreme organising committee is chaired by HE Dr Thani bin Abdulrahman Al Kuwari, the Federation’s chairman, while Mohammed Issa Al Fadala, secretary-general, serves as championships director, with Khalifa Abdulmalik as chairman of the accommodation and transport committee and golden arrow Talal Mansour on the technical and logistics committee. The Federation is racing against time on arrangements and coordination for an outstanding hosting of this event, holding daily and periodic meetings to keep up with the latest preparations and developments regarding guest arrivals and all organisational matters. Coordination is also under way with the sports affairs department at the general secretariat of the Gulf Cooperation Council in Riyadh, and the organising committee has invited them to attend the championships. The Wyndham Hotel will be the official hotel for the athletes and the accommodation base for all delegations and championship guests as well. The February Gulf Junior Athletics Championships is one of four major athletics championships Doha will host this year, to be followed by the Asian Championships for seniors from 20-24 April, the Diamond League on 3 May, and the biggest event, the World Championships, from 28 September to 4 October this year.
