Action during the men's handball match between Qatar and China.
Doha, Qatar: Qatar’s handball team continued their strong start in their quest for a fourth straight Asian Games gold, beating China 30-25 for their second consecutive win in Aichi yesterday.
Left-back Marzo Frankis scored eight goals, while left wing Ahmad Madadi added seven as the defending champions produced a strong second-half display to claim another victory. The first half ended level at 15-15.
Qatar, who defeated Hong Kong in their opening match, will now face hosts Japan in their final group match on Friday. Japan have also recorded two straight wins, with the upcoming clash set to determine the group winners.
The quarter-finals will be played on Saturday.
Defending beach volleyball champions Ahmed Tijan and Cherif Younousse defeated the Philippines.
At Hekinan Ryokuchi Beach Court yesterday, Qatar’s beach volleyball teams made winning starts to their campaigns, with Qatar 1 and Qatar 2 both securing straight-sets victories.
Defending champions Ahmed Tijan and Cherif Younousse, representing Qatar 1, opened their Group A campaign with a convincing 2-0 victory over the Philippines. The group also includes Oman.
The Qatari duo dominated from the start, winning the first set 21-7 before completing the victory with a 21-10 win in the second to seal the match in straight sets.
Meanwhile, Qatar 2, comprising Mousa Al-Khair and Mohamed Ihab, also began their campaign with a 2-0 win, defeating Republic of Korea.
Al-Khair and Ihab took control early, winning the first set 21-13. They maintained their momentum in the second set and stepped up their game to win 21-9, completing another straight-sets victory for Qatar.
Qatar men lead skeet standings after opening day
Qatar’s men’s skeet team made a strong start, finishing the opening day at the top of the standings at the Aichi Prefecture shooting range.
Rashed Saleh Al-Athba emerged as Qatar’s leading individual shooter in the men’s skeet team event.
Rashed Saleh Al-Athba, Nasser Saleh Al-Attiyah and Ali Ahmed Al-Ishaq combined for 145 hits to lead the team standings after the first day of qualification.
Chinese Taipei and Kazakhstan were joint second on 143. The final is scheduled tomorrow.
Al-Athba was Qatar’s leading individual shooter, sitting third with 49 hits. Al-Attiyah was ninth with 48, while Al-Ishaq was 12th.
Qatar’s women had a difficult opening day, finishing 12th and last in the skeet team standings with 127 hits out of a possible 150.
Reem Al-Sharshani was Qatar’s top performer in 11th place with 45 hits, followed by Hajar Mohammed in 17th with 42.
Sarah Ghulam Mohammed recorded 38 hits.
China and Kazakhstan shared the top two positions in the women’s team standings with 143 each, followed by India.
In the men’s 10m air rifle, Abdullah Zain Al-Sunaidi scored 616.8 points to finish 36th, one place ahead of teammate Khalid Al-Sharshani, who also scored 616.8. Abdulrahman Ahmed was 38th with 616.0 points.
Qatar finished 12th among the 13 teams in the men’s 10m air rifle team standings.
Qatar table tennis team reaches Round of 16
Qatar’s men’s table tennis team reached the Round of 16 after edging Macau 3-2 in their Group A match.
Qatar’s men’s table tennis team reached the Round of 16 after edging Macau 3-2 in their Group A match.
Qatar were represented by Abdullah Abdulhussein, Rawad Akram Al-Nasser, Mohammed Abdulhussein, Sultan Khalid Al-Kuwari and Ahmed Eid Qarni.
Qatar will play in the Round of 16 today at Sky Hall Toyota, hoping to build on the win and progress further in the team event.
In the women’s event, Qatar lost 3-0 to Hong Kong in their Group E match.
At Kinjo Futo Station Square Venue, Qatar’s men’s 3x3 basketball team made a winning start, defeating Indonesia 10-7 before beating Chinese Taipei 18-15.
Also yesterday, Qatar’s artistic gymnastics team began its campaign at Nagoya General Gymnasium, with the men’s individual qualification events taking place.
Qatar gymnast Rakan Misfer Al-Harith in action.
On the rings, Rakan Misfer Al-Harith scored 13.900 points to finish third, while Mehrdad Barat Ghadimi scored 13.400 points to take 14th place as the competition continues.
Qatar set for busy day across sports
Qatar’s athletes face a busy schedule today, with action continuing across swimming, volleyball, basketball, equestrian, fencing, karate and esports.
In swimming, Saad El-Din will compete in the 1500m, while Qatar will also feature in the 4x100m freestyle relay.
The team reached the 4x200m freestyle relay final yesterday, finishing sixth in 7:20.25 after recording 7:24.10 in the heats.
Equestrian events return today after yesterday’s postponement due to weather conditions, while fencing competitions will see new Qatari participation.
Karate and women’s volleyball will also continue with placement matches.
Qatar’s men’s 3x3 basketball team defeated Indonesia and Chinese Taipei.
Qatar’s women’s 3x3 basketball team begins its campaign against Sri Lanka before facing China in the group stage.
In esports, Mohammed Al-Ahmad will face Republic of Korea in eFootball before Qatar takes on Saudi Arabia and Iran in Group A. Hassan Al-Qadi will compete in eFootball Mobile, while Rashid Al-Awlan will feature in Gran Turismo 7.
