Qatar Sport

Doha, Qatar: The Qatar Olympic Committee (QOC) has announced that it will participate with a delegation of 34 male and female athletes in the Asian Beach Games, set to be held in Sanya, China, from April 22 to 30, 2026, with the participation of 1,790 athletes, competing across 14 sports. Abdulla Al Abdulla, Deputy Head of the Qatari Administrative Delegation, confirmed during a press conference held at the QOC headquarters on Sunday that Qatar will compete in 7 sports: beach volleyball (men and women), basketball (men and women), beach handball, sailing, aquathlon, jiu-jitsu, and wrestling. Al Abdulla noted that Qatar’s participation in the Asian Beach Games comes as part of the QOC’s commitment to maintaining an active presence in various continental sporting events and to strengthening the country’s sporting presence on the Asian stage. He added that Qatari teams have completed their preparations for the Games through comprehensive training programs overseen by the respective sports federations in coordination with the QOC, emphasizing that the delegation aims to deliver strong performances and compete for medals in a number of sports, particularly beach handball and beach volleyball, in addition to individual disciplines. The Deputy Head of Administrative Delegation further highlighted that the Games are expected to feature a high technical level, given the participation of elite athletes from across Asia, which presents significant challenges requiring Qatari athletes to demonstrate peak readiness. He explained that the primary objective of participation extends beyond results, focusing on maximizing technical benefits by providing athletes with opportunities to compete against diverse sporting schools and gain valuable competitive experience in a multi-sport environment. He added that this participation represents an important step in the development pathway of Qatari athletes, contributing to enhancing their performance levels and readiness for upcoming continental and international events. Al Abdulla also reviewed Qatar’s history in the Asian Beach Games, which began with the inaugural edition in Bali 2008, followed by Muscat 2010, and Haiyang 2012, where Qatar secured its first gold medal through the handball team. Qatar later achieved 12 medals in Phuket 2014 (2 gold, 2 silver, and 8 bronze), and 7 medals in Da Nang 2016 (5 gold, 1 silver, and 1 bronze), reflecting the country’s consistent presence in the Games. For his part, Mohammed Al-Zaidan, Head of the Team Qatar Media Delegation, announced the launch of the promotional campaign accompanying Team Qatar’s participation in the Asian Beach Games – Sanya 2026. He explained that the campaign comes as part of efforts to support the athletes of the Qatari delegation and enhance their media presence throughout the competition period. He added that the campaign aims to motivate both fans and athletes, while also highlighting the achievements of Qatari athletes. Al-Zaidan further noted that the campaign will focus on showcasing Qatar’s key tourist attractions and the beauty of its beaches, under the slogan “From the Shores of Doha to the Shores of Sanya,” reflecting the connection between sport and tourism and contributing to the promotion of Qatar’s coastal destinations. These include Katara Beach, Old Doha Port, Lusail Marina, the Doha Corniche, The Pearl Island, and 974 Beach. He also emphasized that the campaign will deliver diverse digital content that captures the atmosphere of the competitions and enhances audience engagement, as part of an integrated media vision aimed at projecting a positive image of Qatari sport at both the continental and international levels across the Committee’s platforms and various media outlets in the country. The Asian Beach Games – Sanya 2026 will feature 1,790 athletes competing in 14 sports: 3x3 basketball, aquatics (open water swimming and water polo), aquathlon, athletics, handball, kabaddi, football, volleyball, wrestling, rowing, jiu-jitsu, sailing, sport climbing, and teqball.

Athletics

Sydney: Teenagesprintsensation Gout Gout ran a blistering 19.67 seconds to win the 200m at the Australian championships on Sunday, faster than Usain Bolt at the same age. Fellow Australian Aidan Murphy also cracked the 20-second mark, coming second in 19.88 -- the two quickest times of the year and with a legal tailwind. "This is what I've been waiting for," said Gout at the Sydney Olympic Park Athletic Centre. "We have such incredible athletes in Australia and me being able to race these athletes, we push each other to the limits. Two Australians sub-20. I mean, this is amazing." The 18-year-old burst on the scene in 2024 when he clocked 20.04 seconds at the Australian All Schools Athletics Championships. It shattered Peter Norman's national record of 20.06 from the 1968 Olympics and was the quickest ever by a 16-year-old. He had improved to 20.02 but never gone under 20 seconds legally before. His time was faster at the same age than Bolt, who ran 19.93 in 2004. "There's a big weight off my shoulders knowing I ran it legally, and I have the speed and my body to run times like that. So, it definitely feels great, and ready for more," Gout said. The race was billed as a showdown with his closest Australian rival Lachlan Kennedy. But 22-year-old Kennedy, who is also on a rapid rise, withdrew after executing flawlessly to win the 100m in 9.96 on Saturday -- the fastest time run by an Australian on home soil. He also clocked 9.96 in his heat. "It's the standard I've set now, so hopefully I can go a bit quicker next time and see where it takes me," Kennedy said. "I think the sky is the limit." Hull treble bid fails World under-20 mile record holder Cameron Myers reinforced his potential by running 3:29.85 in the 1500m, edging out reigning Commonwealth Games champion Oliver Hoare. It was the best time globally this year and the quickest ever in Australia. The 19-year-old Myers backed up by taking out the 5000m in a personal best 13:11.66. But Paris Olympic 1500m silver medallist Jessica Hull's bid for a rare 800m-1500m-5000m treble fell apart. Hull was leading the 1500m with 100m to go, but was clipped from behind and dramatically fell with fellow Olympian Claudia Hollingsworth crossing first. Hollingsworth was initially disqualified over the incident, but reinstated on appeal. Hull pulled out of the 800m, won by Abbey Caldwell in 1:58.57, but returned to win the 5000m in 15:13.21. The four-day meet also saw Olympic pole vault champion Nina Kennedy clear 4.65m to stand on top of the national podium for the fifth time in her career. Kennedy continues to jump off a restricted run-up as she returns from a long injury layoff ahead of defending her title at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games in July. "I'm happy with how I jumped. I got the win pretty comfortably out there, so there is no need to push the body," she said. High jump world champion and Olympic silver medallist Nicola Olyslagers cleared 1.99m to outleap Olympic bronze medallist Eleanor Patterson (1.93m).

Football

Berlin: Bundesliga club Union Berlin on Sunday named Marie-Louise Eta as head coach, making her the first female manager of a men's team in a top-five European league, after former mentor Steffen Baumgart was sacked. The 34-year-old will take over for the remainder of the season. "I am delighted the club has entrusted me with this challenging task," Eta said in a statement. "One of Union's strengths has always been our ability to pull together in such situations. And of course, I'm convinced that we'll get the points we need with this team." Eta became the first female assistant coach in Bundesliga history when she was promoted to the role in 2023. Never before has a men's top-flight club in Germany, England, Spain, Italy or France -- considered the top-five European leagues -- appointed a woman in the head coach role. Eta's first match in the dugout is on Saturday when Union host struggling Wolfsburg. Baumgart was sacked early on Sunday morning after the club's form flatlined in the second-half of the season, with Saturday's 3-1 defeat at last-placed Heidenheim the final straw. A fan favourite who spent two seasons at the club as a player, Baumgart took over as coach at the beginning of 2025 and helped Union stay in the Bundesliga with a 13th-placed finish. The coach took Union close to the European spots at the end of 2025 but the club have won just two games since Christmas and sit seven points above the relegation play-off spot with five games to play. "We've had an absolutely disappointing second-half of the season," sporting director Horst Held said in a statement. "Our situation remains precarious and we desperately need points to stay in the league. "The performances in recent weeks don't give us the confidence we could turn things around with the current set-up." As a player, Eta won the women's Champions League in 2010 with Turbine Potsdam - she was an unused substitute in the final against Lyon - along with three Bundesliga titles. She retired at the age of 26 to start coaching, first with Werder Bremen youth teams before taking on a similar role at the German FA (DFB). She has already committed to take over Union Berlin's women's Bundesliga team, who are playing their first season in the top-flight this campaign, from summer. Women have managed men's football teams in the lower divisions but never in the top flight. German third tier Ingolstadt FC are currently coached by Sabrina Wittmann, who became the first female coach of a professional men's team when appointed to the position in 2024. French second-flight club Clermont were managed by Corinne Diacre for three seasons until 2017, until she left to take over the French women's national team.