As part of the plans and strategy of the Qatar Athletics Federation, led by Major General Dahlan Jumaan Al Hamad, president of the Qatari and Asian athletics federations and vice-president of the IAAF, to spread the culture of the queen of sports among the future generations of school students in order to widen its base of participants locally, the federation’s athletics development centre continued its promotional tour of the country’s schools (independent and community schools), with its coaching and administrative staff visiting (15 boys’ schools) across various parts of Qatar and conducting a series of physical and skills tests and measurements, and organising mini competitions among students in various basic skills, including (running, jumping, vaulting, throwing), organised under the close supervision and monitoring of the development centre’s coaches and supervisors, with all data, results and statistics on the talented students recorded, to be included in future within the athletics development centre’s database, ahead of wider tests to be conducted by experts from the Aspire Academy for Sports Excellence and the selection of the best to join clubs and, in future, be attached to the national teams
The development centre’s staff also visited the Sudanese School, in fulfilment of the cooperation agreement between the school and the centre, and physical and skills sporting tests were conducted for the students. The centre’s staff noted the extent of the Sudanese School students’ enthusiasm and eagerness to carry out the tests with high morale and determination to showcase their high abilities and the natural talent they possess, with experts of the queen of sports praising the students’ enthusiasm, desire and love for practising sport in general and athletics in particular. The tests included measurements in running, long jump, clearing small hurdles and soft-ball throwing, among other basic skills, to select the best, ahead of further tests to be conducted by experts and coaches from the Aspire Academy for Sports Excellence. The athletics development centre’s team is currently working on completing the third phase of its mission in Doha’s schools and beyond, in preparation for carrying out the remaining phases in pursuit of covering all of Qatar’s public and private schools
At the close of the technical and physical tests for the students, the development centre’s coaches and supervisors selected (19) students from the Sudanese School ahead of further, higher-level assessments by experts from the Aspire Academy for Sports Excellence. The students are: 1- Omar Siddig Mohamed Ali (2003) – 2- Ibrahim Adel Ibrahim (2003)
3- Mohamed Mudathir Makkawi (2004) 4- Nizar Asim Ali (2003) – 5- Alaa Eldin Ammar (2004) – 6- Ali Al Nazir (2006) -7- Ahmed Arabi Mohamed (2006) -8- Ali Abu Zar (2005) – 9- Mohamed Nasreldin (2005) -10- Hazim Abdelhalim (2005) -11- Abdullah Mohamed Ali (2006) -12- Abdelrahman Rashid Hamid (2005) -13- Mujahid Tariq Osman (2005)
14- Shadi Emad Anwar (2005) -15- Hamdan Mohamed Mahdi (2005) -16- Siddig Atta Ahmed (2004) -17- Majed Abdelsalam Mohamed (2004) -18- Ahmed Tariq (2004) -19- Rahma Abdelrahman (2004)
Federation shield a gift for the school’s headmaster
At the close of the tests, Khalid Rashed Al Marri, on behalf of the athletics development centre, presented a commemorative shield to Farouk Mohamed Ali, headmaster of the Sudanese School, in recognition of their sincere efforts in making the visit a success, thanking all the school’s staff and students for their cooperation and dedication and their enthusiasm during the tests, and wishing everyone success
Al Marri praises the effort
Khalid Rashed Al Marri, director of the development centre, highly praised the cooperation of Qatar’s schools and resident communities with the Athletics Federation and the development centre in translating the vision and plans of our federation, led by Major General Al Hamad, to spread sporting culture and widen the base of students practising sport, who represent the future, noting that the development centre is a genuine nucleus and an important pillar for Qatari athletics in the future, and that it has been scientifically and statistically proven that the queen of sports helps our children grow physically and mentally. Al Marri continued, saying: We are certainly very happy with this turnout, the great enthusiasm and the wide response from schools and students – what we saw at the Sudanese School is a prime example of this, as the students took part in the tests seriously and with clear enthusiasm under the supervision of our centre’s coaches, and we came across many promising and talented prospects who need only care and support to progress further in the tracks of the queen of sports. God willing, the development centre will motivate the talented students and encourage them to join clubs, and will refine and develop them scientifically and institutionally with the aim of bringing them to a more advanced sporting stage. Frankly, we currently have an ambitious programme being rolled out in cooperation with independent schools and communities across the country
In closing, Al Marri extended his thanks and appreciation to the school headmasters, parents and students who contributed to the success of our ambitious project, saying they had been a model of dedication and hard work in the service of their country and Qatari sport, and that they had without doubt felt genuine cooperation from colleagues (at the Ministry of Education and Higher Education) in supporting the development centre so that it can reap the rewards, hoping this interaction and cooperation will continue in the best possible way and contribute to enriching the journey of Qatari sport and athletics Al Marri also thanked all the development centre’s coaches and supervisors for their sincere efforts and tireless work in implementing the development strategy on the ground
