Doha, Qatar, February 13, 2024: Team Qatar’s stars and local communities came together to celebrate National Sports Day on Tuesday, February 13.
The Qatar Olympic Committee organised activities throughout the country as part of its unwavering commitment to promoting a healthier lifestyle, highlighting the importance of the nation's sporting culture and well-being.
Launched in 2012, National Sports Day is celebrated annually to promote healthy lifestyles. Qatar is the first country in the region, and among the first globally, to host a national holiday every year dedicated to sport.
This year witnessed the best National Sports Day yet, with the day celebrated up and down the country. In particular, the QOC gave people the opportunity to play sport with their favourite Team Qatar athletes at a specially created Team Qatar Village.
The Team Qatar Village, held in Barahat – Msheireb, was developed in partnership with the National Federations to commemorate National Sports Day. The local community was invited to take part in athletics, football, handball, volleyball, basketball, boxing, taekwondo and karate, gymnastic, tennis and para sports.
With thousands of people taking part, the Team Qatar Village promoted the importance of living a healthy lifestyle and strengthened the community’s connection with Team Qatar athletes ahead of their participation at the Olympic Games Paris 2024.
QOC Secretary General Jassim bin Rashid Al-Buenain said: “National Sports Day is a fantastic opportunity to engage our community, bring people together and build social and cultural connections.
“We believe strongly in the power of sport for human development; instilling positive values and encouraging people to live healthier lifestyles. Our Team Qatar athletes inspire us, but they also remind us that sport is not just for the elite athletes: it is for all.
“We host the National Sports Day in Qatar to celebrate that sport is for all and that, as individuals and as a society, we are stronger and more united when sport is a part of our lives.”
The National Sports Day community activities also saw the second edition of the School Olympic Programme race with 3,000 boys and girls taking part in a running race at the Lusail boulevard.
Elementary children ran 1km, children in middle school ran 2km and secondary school children ran 3km.
With National Sports Day coinciding with the World Aquatics Championship - Doha 2024, World Aquatics President Husain Al-Musallam and Doha 2024’s world-famous ambassadors were on hand to meet with fans during the festivities.
Yusra Mardini, named in TIME magazine’s 100 most influential people in 2022 after competing for the Olympic Refugee Team at Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020, and triple Olympic champion Ranomi Kromowidjojo were among the ambassadors to take part in a meet and greet in Aqua Market.
