The athletics department of Al Rayyan Club held a friendly tournament last Saturday at the club’s outdoor track. The tournament featured four teams: Al Ahli, Al Khor, Al Gharafa, and the host club, Al Rayyan. The competitions included track and field events for the youth, junior, and elementary school categories, with the participation of more than 100 athletes.
The competitions were attended by Mr. Thabit Saroore Al Abdullah, a member of the Qatar Athletics Federation’s board of directors and vice president of the technical committee, as well as the heads of the athletics departments of Al Rayyan Club, Mr. Rashid Al Khayreen, and Al Khor Club, Mr. Ibrahim Al Harami, and a group of families and friends of the players.
Mr. Rashid Al Khayreen pointed out that the friendly tournament comes as an opportunity for the participating clubs’ athletes to experience the atmosphere of competition. He said: “We thank the management of Al Rayyan Club, headed by HH Sheikh Qaaqaa bin Hamad Al Thani, for their keenness to support the sport of athletics and for their contribution to the organization of this event.”
Mr. Thabit Saroore Al Abdullah, a member of the board of directors of the Qatar Athletics Federation and vice president of the technical committee, stressed that such tournaments provide an opportunity to raise the technical level of athletes in the age groups and also help to address technical issues related to the organization of tournaments. He said: “We thank Al Rayyan Club for organizing an event of this magnitude, and we hope that the rest of the Qatari clubs will follow suit.”
For his part, Mr. Farhan Shamis, the technical advisor to the athletics department of Al Rayyan Club and the technical director of the friendly tournament, pointed out that the tournament reached the required technical level and was an opportunity for athletes in the age groups to enter the atmosphere of competition, especially with the return of track and field championships after a four-year hiatus due to the pandemic. He thanked the technical teams of the participating clubs for their contribution to the success of the organization and refereeing.
The tournament was a success in terms of organization and participation. The athletes competed with great enthusiasm, and the results were close in many events. The tournament was a good opportunity for the participating clubs to assess the level of their athletes and to identify areas for improvement.