From Left to Right: CEO of the Samla Race Organizing Committee, Azzam Al-Mannai, President of the Qatar Cycling and Triathlon Federation, Abdulaziz Al Tamimi, and CEO of A13 Academy, Abdullah Shaheen Al Kaabi.
Doha, Qatar: Old Doha Port on Thursday launched its six-day sport and wellness festival, “MOVE,” organised in collaboration with NO LIMITS, to mark the 2026 National Sports Day.
On the sidelines of the “MOVE” sports festival, which features daily panel discussions with athletes and industry leaders, panelists encouraged young athletes and sports enthusiasts to focus on athlete development, community values, and the continued growth of endurance sports in Qatar.
Speaking on the topic “SAMLA: More than just a race,” CEO of the Samla Race Organizing Committee, Azzam Al-Mannai explained that SAMLA has evolved from a small local challenge into a nationally and internationally recognized endurance event.
“One of our goals was to build endurance sports. Back in the early 1990s, sports were mostly limited to football or bodybuilding. Later came volleyball, basketball, traditional sports, and running, however it was not really taken seriously. People only saw casual jogging on the Corniche in the afternoon from the Sheraton to the Amiri Diwan,” he said
He added, “SAMLA has many dimensions. In the beginning, it was seen as a challenge or just a race, as some people thought. But in 2016, we started writing the vision and goals. The vision was to build a youth community based on patience, endurance, and resilience.”
President of the Qatar Cycling and Triathlon Federation, Abdulaziz Al Tamimi noted that SAMLA has helped grow triathlon in Qatar. “Before 2017, there were very few athletes. Now we have hundreds participating. SAMLA became the foundation. We are proud of this achievement. It connected us all as one team.”
He added that SAMLA aims to produce future generations of athletes, professionals, and sports leaders who can expand into technology, culture, and society.
Speaking on the huge social impact SAMLA has on households in Qatar, another panelist and CEO of A13 Academy, Abdullah Shaheen Al Kaabi explained that “After participating and training, we introduced a new training concept - running, cycling, and strength combined. Athletes enjoyed it greatly. After completing several SAMLA editions, we entered professional coaching. We saw strong demand from adults and youth. We realized younger athletes needed early development, so we focused on ages 5 to 18, with online training for adults.”
“MOVE” continues at Old Doha Port until February 10. From February 5–9, the festival runs daily from 3:30pm to 9:30pm, while on Qatar National Sports Day, February 10, activities will take place from 7:30am to 1:30pm.
The festival will feature seven main zones, offering a range of experiences tailored to diverse audiences, including daily panel discussions with athletes and sports-sector specialists, exploring themes related to health, fitness, and active lifestyles.
There are dedicated spaces for fitness classes, alongside a running race along the Mina Corniche, scheduled to take place on Saturday, February 7, with registration available through the social media platforms of Old Doha Port and NO LIMITS.
The festival featured dedicated retail spaces for sports products to encourage lifestyle changes ahead of National Sports Day, healthy restaurants and cafes, a children’s area designed to promote movement and activity, as well as recovery and relaxation zones.
