QOC issues health advisory for Asian Games participants

Doha, Qatar: The Qatar Olympic Committee (QOC) issued a health advisory for Qatari athletes participating in the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games in Japan. argolida.life

The advisory, shared by the committee on social media, highlights a number of precautions athletes should take to cope with host country’s weather conditions.

The QOC urged participants to acclimatise early to the weather and gradually adjust their sleep schedules before travelling to Japan to help minimise the effects of jet lag as there are six-hour time difference between Qatar and Japan.

Athletes have also been advised to use sunscreen and wear hats for protection against the sun, while maintaining adequate hydration throughout their stay.

The committee particularly recommended drinking electrolyte-rich fluids during long training sessions and competitions to help replace fluids and minerals lost through sweating.

Maintaining a balanced nutrition plan was also highlighted as an important part of preparations, alongside wearing lightweight and breathable sportswear suitable for the expected weather conditions.

Athletes were further advised to keep a light rain jacket handy as they prepare for potentially changing weather conditions during the Games.

Doha, Qatar: Qatar won three gold medals on the final day of the 10th FISU World University Weightlifting Championship - Doha 2026, hosted by Qatar Foundation.

The championships brought together 116 male and female athletes from 21 countries in a global university sporting event that underscored Qatar's growing presence as a host of major international competitions.

The final day featured competition in four weight classes at the Education City Student Center: the women's 86-kilogram and over-86-kilogram categories and the men's 110-kilogram and over-110-kilogram categories.

In the women's over-86-kilogram category, Qatar's Wissal Yakhlef swept all three gold medals, winning the snatch with a 125-kilogram lift, the clean and jerk with 155 kilograms, and the overall title with a combined total of 280 kilograms.

South Korea's Yoo Hyo-bin won all three silver medals, lifting 103 kilograms in the snatch, 145 kilograms in the clean and jerk and 248 kilograms overall. Slovakia's Lenka Zembova took the three bronze medals, with lifts of 102 kilograms in the snatch and 127 kilograms in the clean and jerk for a total of 229 kilograms.

Yakhlef said she was delighted to win three gold medals in the over-86-kilogram category, describing the achievement as an important milestone in her athletic career.

Speaking to reporters after the medal ceremony, she said her performance and place on the podium were the result of extensive preparation, concentration and sustained work rather than chance.

She said the competition had been far from easy and that the presence of several highly skilled lifters added to the technical quality of the championship. Winning gold in the snatch, clean and jerk and overall competition, she added, would provide a major incentive to continue working and preparing for upcoming competitions.

Yakhlef said the championship and her performance represented the final stage of her training program before she joins Qatar's national team delegation for the weightlifting competition at the 20th Asian Games, Aichi-Nagoya 2026, which begin next week in Japan.

In the women's 86-kilogram category, Chinese Taipei's Yu-Lin Peng swept the gold medals, winning the snatch with 107 kilograms, the clean and jerk with 125 kilograms and the overall title with 232 kilograms.

South Korea's Yubin Hong won all three silver medals, lifting 100 kilograms in the snatch and 124 kilograms in the clean and jerk for a total of 224 kilograms. Moldova's Anastasia Balici took the three bronze medals, with lifts of 93 kilograms in the snatch and 116 kilograms in the clean and jerk for a total of 209 kilograms.

President of the Qatar Collegiate Sports Federation and Chairman of the Championship Organizing Committee, HE Dr. Ibrahim bin Saleh Al Naimi, presented the medals to the top three finishers in the women's 86-kilogram and over-86-kilogram categories in a celebratory ceremony.

In the men's 110-kilogram category, American lifter George Upmeyer swept the gold medals, lifting 168 kilograms in the snatch and 201 kilograms in the clean and jerk for a total of 369 kilograms.

Romania's Paul Ionita won two silver medals and one bronze, taking silver in the clean and jerk with 196 kilograms and in the overall competition with 359 kilograms, while winning bronze in the snatch with 163 kilograms.

American Caleb Wicklund won one silver and two bronze medals. He took silver in the snatch with 164 kilograms and bronze in the clean and jerk with 192 kilograms and overall with 356 kilograms.

In the men's over-110-kilogram category, Iraq's Mustafa Jabbar swept the gold medals, lifting 170 kilograms in the snatch and 212 kilograms in the clean and jerk for a total of 382 kilograms.

South Korea's Park Jin-ho won two silver medals, taking silver in the clean and jerk with 211 kilograms and in the overall competition with 363 kilograms. He lifted 152 kilograms in the snatch.

Moldova's Stanislav Oja won one silver and one bronze, taking silver in the snatch with 166 kilograms and bronze overall with a total of 357 kilograms.

Finland's Hannu Kiskitalo won bronze in the snatch with 165 kilograms, while South Korea's Kim Dong-hyun took bronze in the clean and jerk with 198 kilograms.

The final day of the FISU World University Championship Weightlifting showcased the advanced level of weightlifting in higher education institutions, with the competition marked by strength, excitement, and determination. The male and female lifters delivered impressive performances that reflected the extent of their preparation and ambition, in a competitive atmosphere embodying the values of university sport - excellence, discipline and a spirit of challenge.

Following the conclusion of the competition, a closing ceremony was held, combining a parade of flags of the participating countries with elements of Qatari culture in a welcoming message reflecting Doha's warm reception for the athletes and delegations. A short video also highlighted the events of the five days of competition.

The closing ceremony was attended by Secretary-General of the Qatar Collegiate Sports Federation (QCSF) Rashid Saeed Adiba; FISU Technical Committee Chair, Dr. Milan Mihajlovic; FISU International Supervisory Committee member, Sarita Morales Brenes; and several sports and academic figures and members of the Qatar Collegiate Sports Federation's board.

In remarks at the closing ceremony, QCSF Secretary-General, Rashid Saeed Adiba, expressed his thanks and gratitude to everyone who contributed to the major success of the World University Weightlifting Championships and to all those who contributed their efforts, time and expertise to the success of the global sporting event.

He praised all the participating delegations and the male and female lifters who traveled to Doha, the global sports capital, from around the world. The championships, he said, went beyond sporting competition to provide a platform for fair play, an opportunity to meet and exchange cultures, build friendships and strengthen understanding among young people from around the world.

FISU International Supervisory Committee member, Sarita Morales Brenes, expressed her appreciation and thanks to the Qatar Collegiate Sports Federation and to all the officials, guests, volunteers, coaches, technical officials, members of the media and athletes who contributed to the success of the championships.

The closing ceremony included the handover of the FISU flag to Morales Brenes. Albania will host the 11th edition of the championships in 2028.

The flag handover brought the curtain down on five days of competition involving about 116 male and female athletes from 21 countries, featuring strong technical performances and open competition across the various weight classes.

Madrid: Kimi Antonelli extended his lead in the world championship with his eighth victory of the season at the Spanish Formula One Grand Prix at the Madring on Sunday.

The 20-year-old Mercedes driver finished clear of Max Verstappen (Red Bull) and Lando Norris (McLaren) and is now 81 points ahead of nearest rival, his Mercedes teammate George Russell, in the title race.

Ferrari's Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) finished fourth ahead of fellow Briton Russell and Liam Lawson in the second Red Bull.

Franco Colapinto (Alpine), Oscar Piastri (McLaren), Arvid Lindblad (Racing Bulls) and Niko Hulkenberg (Audi) rounded out the top 10.

Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton, who had scored points in every race this season, missed out completely, retiring his Ferrari on lap seven because of brake failure.

George Russell was another big loser, with the Mercedes driver suffering badly from his team's decision to put him on two-stop strategy - the only one of the main runners to have this - which blew his chances of podium and left him even further behind his teammate in the title race.

Norris will also rue his team's poor strategy.

The reigning world champion drove a blistering lap on Saturday to claim pole position and was leading comfortably until the intervention of the virtual safety car (VSC) on lap 15.

While Antonelli and Verstappen immediately dived into the pits to change their tyres McLaren kept Norris out for an extra lap.

As he prepared to come in, the VSC finished meaning he lost time against his rivals, and the Briton wasn't helped by a slow pitstop of seven seconds.

By the time he came out Norris was down in fifth with Leclerc, who hadn't boxed, and George Russell also ahead of him.

He clawed his way past Russell and moved into third when Leclerc finally boxed on lap 48 of the 57, at which point the lead was handed to Antonelli who cruised home to take the chequered flag.

DOHA: Team Qatar by Iron Lynx secured a major victory in the Goodyear 4 Hours of Silverstone, Round 5 of the 2026 European Le Mans Series (ELMS), taking first place in the LMGT3 category with the #62 Mercedes-AMG LMGT3.

The team, supported by the Qatar Motor and Motorcycle Federation (QMMF), claimed the victory with its Silverstone driver lineup of Qatar’s Abdulla Al-Khelaifi, Julian Hanses and Ralf Aron, delivering a strong and consistent performance throughout the four-hour race.

The weekend had already started perfectly when Abdulla Al-Khelaifi secured pole position in the LMGT3 category on Saturday, setting a time of 2:00.011. This was Abdulla’s third LMGT3 pole position of the 2026 ELMS season.

Starting from the front of the LMGT3 field, Team Qatar maintained its strong pace throughout the race to secure its first ELMS victory of the 2026 season.

The result is particularly significant in the championship battle. Team Qatar entered the Silverstone race in third place in the LMGT3 standings with 47 points, just six points behind the championship leader.

Following the Silverstone victory and the additional championship point earned for pole position, Team Qatar moved to the top of the LMGT3 championship standings with 73 points, heading into the final round of the season.

With only one round remaining, Team Qatar by Iron Lynx is now a strong contender for the 2026 ELMS LMGT3 championship title.

The final round of the European Le Mans Series will take place at Portimão, Portugal, on 10 October 2026.

Doha: The sixth edition of the Seashore Phoenix Games 2026 is witnessing strong participation in its women’s competitions, which began today and continue until tomorrow at Aspire Ladies Hall.

More than 150 female athletes are taking part in the competitions according to the media relations specialist at Aspire Zone Foundation Tahani Al-Suwaidi, which feature three categories, Advanced Arab Women (RX), Women’s Doubles and Women’s Beginner Doubles.

The competitions includes athletes from Qatar and abroad, with challenges focused on strength, endurance, speed and performance under pressure.

Around 80 percent of the total women’s participation are Qatari athletes, according to organisers, highlighting the growing interest in fitness competitions among women in Qatar.

The Advanced Arab Women category features 19 athletes, while the two doubles categories provide competition at advanced and beginner levels.

The judging panel includes around 30 female judges from Qatar, Russia, Egypt, the UAE and Jordan, overseeing the women’s competitions.

The women’s competitions are being held exclusively for female participants and attendees, with the programme running over two days.

A new live results system has also been introduced, allowing athletes and spectators to follow competition results as the events progress.

The Seashore Phoenix Games 2026 began on September 10 and runs until September 17, with the women’s competitions forming part of the wider championship programme.

The women’s competitions and the closing ceremony will conclude tomorrow, September 14, 2026.