JUSTINE EYES DOHA RETURN - Qatar Olympic Committee

Q1.08.news
multi-cultural experience, both on and off
the field, that transcended political and social
boundaries and facilitated the promotion
of universal values and shared ideals among
them. The camp was a challenging, but
ultimately incredibly rewarding experience.
It was wonderful to see how the youngsters
reacted to the opportunity and related to
each other.”
This year the Global Sport Fund will run
more sport camps around the world and will
continue its programme of grants to fund
sports-related project in many countries. This
is a unique co-operation between a UN body
and a National Olympic Committee and I
feel privileged to be part of it,” said Rami
Bathish.
“Working from offices within the Qatar
Olympic Committee means we are at the
very heart of the organisation. It reflects
the importance that the QOC places on
the project and being here has really served
to open our eyes to the role of sport in the
pursuit of the UNODC’s objective to make
the world safer by providing youngsters with
an alternative path to a life of drugs and
crime.”
Table tennis champions at Aspire
The Qatar Open Table Tennis Championships at the Aspire
Indoor Hall, March 18- 22, will see the world’s top table tennis talent
come to town.
These are the best of the best – Olympic and world champions –
vying for valuable points in the ITTF Pro Tour standings.
Last year’s Liebherr Qatar Open saw China’s Ma Lin and Li
Xiaoxia win the men’s and women’s singles titles respectively. But that
doesn’t even begin to tell the story.
Ma Lin beat his arch rival and compatriot Wang Liqin, the world
number one, who has beaten him on the last two occasions that
the players met in Doha - defeats that were all the more painful for
coming in the final of the tournament.
In 2007, however, that sequence came to an end and Ma Lin had
his revenge in a match that saw table tennis of the highest order from
players who were then recognised as the top two players on the ITTF
men’s world ranking list.
In 2008, China’s Wang Hao has overtaken these two rivals at the
top of the rankings, making this year’s men’s singles tournament even
more fascinating.
Meanwhile, in the women’s singles competition, China’s rising star,
nineteen-year-old Li Xiaoxia, beat compatriot Wang Nan in the final
- an achievement that was all the more remarkable for her stunning
victory at the quarter final stage over China’s Zhang Yining, the
reigning Olympic and World champion.
With China boasting the top five women in this year’s ITTF
Pro Tour world rankings, expect there to be even more spice to the
contests in Doha this year, as the Chinese women aim to secure their
places in Team China for the Beijing Olympic Games.
Olympic year is also a reminder that, over the next four-year cycle
of the Olympic Games, young Qatari talent could come to the fore.
Last year, ASPIRE table tennis students achieved international
success both in individual and team events at Under-15 and
Under-17 levels. Having court-side seats at this year’s Qatar Open
Championships will enhance their understanding of what it takes to
become truly world class.
Q1.08 QatarSport 7