Barsham leads Qatar's large delegation

Doha (AFP) – Qatar is banking on its Olympic champions, led by high jump star Mutaz Essa Barshim, to deliver standout results that reflect the size and ambition of its large delegation at the 20th Asian Games, scheduled to be held in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, from September 19 to October 4 next year.

The Qatar Olympic Committee announced on Sunday that the delegation will comprise 243 athletes (184 men and 59 women) competing in 26 sports and representing 18 sports federations. This marks the first edition of the Games to take place during the tenure of Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani, who has served as President of the Olympic Council of Asia since the beginning of this year and as President of the Qatar Olympic Committee since 2015.

Olympic medalists Mutaz Barshim (athletics), Faisal Ibrahim (weightlifting), and Nasser Al-Attiyah (shooting) topped the image posted on the committee’s X (formerly Twitter) account showcasing Qatar’s delegation for the upcoming Games.

The team is also relying on its men’s handball squad, which won gold in the last three editions of the Asian Games, to secure a fourth consecutive title and bolster Qatar’s medal tally.

Four years ahead of Doha’s hosting of the 2030 Games, Qatar’s participation is attracting significant attention, with one of the largest delegations in the country’s Asian Games history, according to Ahmed Yousef Al-Darwish, head of the administrative delegation.

Speaking to Agence France-Presse, Al-Darwish said, “We will participate in all men’s team sports, and we will also field a women’s volleyball team,” emphasizing that “women’s participation will be substantial, accounting for about 25% of the delegation.”

Regarding the team’s ambitions, Al-Darwish stressed that while the delegation aims to achieve success, “we do not wish to talk in terms of specific numbers or place pressure on the participating federations.”

He confirmed that Qatar will send its top athletes, including Olympic and world champion Mutaz Barshim, who holds three Asian Games gold medals, the most recent being in Hangzhou 2022. “After returning from injury and competing in the Diamond League, Mutaz will be ready for the Games.”