Qatar launch ambitious project to unearth new talent with eye on 2030 Asian Games

Qatar Olympic Committee (QOC) which has announced its bid to host the 21st edition of the Asian Games in 2030, have launched an ambitious project to unearth new talent with an eye on the continental event.

Qatar Shooting and Archery Association (QSAA) is one the sports body, coming under QOC, which has launched  its pilot project only to find the Coronavirus Pandemic slowing down the project.

Qatar hosted the 15th Asian Games in 2006, achieving great success and it was a milestone in the sport history of the country.

As a first step to spot new talent in shooting, the QSAA and QOC have taken the mobile shooting range route to enlist young shooters for the long-term coaching program which they launched recently.

“This year we are concentrating on the young shooters. We are bringing lot of young shooters to the club,” QSAA President Ali Mohamed Al Kuwari said.

Elaborating further Al Kuwari said the QSAA has been visiting different schools to spot new talent.

“We have been going to the schools trying to find the new shooters. We have a mobile shooting range and we taking this mobile shooting range and going to different cities like Doha, Shamal , Al Khor. We take the mobile shooting range and try to find new shooters. We already have visited 10 cities and the plan is to visit more cities,” QSAA President added.

Al Kuwari said the shooters are enlisted for the long-term shooting program keeping the 2030 Asian Games in mind.

“As Qatar is likely to bid for the 2030 Asian Games, the search for young shooters is with an eye on the Asian Games,” he added.

Qatar has so far got one Olympic quota from shooting for the Tokyo Games which have been pushed back to 2021 due to Coronavirus. Mohamed Al Rumaihi got Qatar’s lone Olympic quota from the 14th Asian Shooing Championship which took place from 5 to 13 November 2019, at Lusail Shooting Complex, and which served as an Asian qualifying tournament for the Tokyo Olympics.