Doha: Qatari shooter Rashid Saleh Al Athba was crowned with the gold of the official men's skeet competitions within HH the Amir Grand Prix for Shotgun currently held at the Lusail Shooting Range Complex.
According to Qatar News Agency, the event will run until Feb. 21, and draws significant participation, notably 250 male and female shooters from 34 countries, including 12 Olympic champions and 42 members of the Qatari national team. Skeet shooters vied across four divisions, notably Men's, Women's, Juniors, and Youth, competing over two rounds of 50-target shooting, split into 25 per round. The top six marksmen advanced to a fiercely contested final, battling for podium honors.
In the men's division, Qatar's Al Athba seized gold, with Georgia's Yaroslav Startsev snagging silver, and Kuwait's Mohammed Al Dihani securing bronze. Following the conclusion of the contests, HE First Vice-President of the Qatar Olympic Committee, Mohammed bin Youssef Al Mana, and the attending dignitaries crowned the winners of the first three places in the four divisions, marking the start of the Trap shooting contests across four divisions, namely Men's, Women's, Juniors, and Youth, which will commence on Monday, featuring 101 male shooters, 30 female shooters, 10 junior marksmen, and 4 junior markswomen.
They will compete in the first three places and ultimately ascend to the coronation platform to receive the tournament's prizes, noting that the Qatar Shooting Federation has dedicated valuable prizes whose value reached EU122,000. The tournament features internationally certified referees from Qatar, the UAE, Oman, and Saudi Arabia who strictly adhere to ISSF regulations, with a strong focus on safety and competitive integrity.
HE Al Mana hailed the success of this tournament, emphasizing that the Qatar Shooting Federation proceeds with its successes, in terms of organizing mega events and tournaments that include prominent male and female shooters from around the globe. His Excellence said he is grateful for the gold that Al Athba secured, hoping for further achievements in the coming international competitions. He commended the curators' efforts in having a successful tournament.
President of the Qatar Shooting and Archery Association (QSAA) Dr. Mishaal Ibrahim Al Nasr expressed his happiness for this important milestone made by Al Athba following a powerful competition with an elite of best international shooters. Speaking to Qatar News Agency, Al Nasr highlighted that Al Athba is a global champion, affirming that this tournament is precious as he secured this important gold. He wished success for the Qatari shooters in the coming championships.
Al Athba noted that there is a long trek as QSAA currently embarks on the first season after contracting best global shooting instructors, alongside an American one, emphasizing that the achievements made were by virtue of the unflagging support of HE President of Qatar Olympic Committee (QOC) HE Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al-Thani. These achievements are a testament to the progress of the Qatari marksmanship which is proceeding on the right track and always seeks the best, he highlighted.
Speaking to QNA, Jassim Shaheen Al Sulaiti hailed the win of Al Athba and noted that this tournament is one of the most difficult ones, but through his perseverance and expertise Al Athba secured the gold. He indicated that the Qatar Shooting Federation received numerous commendations from the participating delegations and guests for the organization of this event, highlighting that most global shooters prefer to participate in the federation-organized championships.