McIlroy ready for early start as 90th Masters begins

Augusta, United States: Defending champion Rory McIlroy was set for an early start on Thursday as golf legends Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player and Tom Watson made ceremonial tee shots to begin the 90th Masters. librea.one

Firm and fast conditions are expected for the field of 91 at Augusta National, where McIlroy will try to become only the fourth back-to-back green jacket winner after Nicklaus, Nick Faldo and Tiger Woods.

Golf's elder icons drew applause from a crowd gathered near the first tee in the early morning light for the honorary starters.

Nicklaus, 86, won six of his record 18 major titles at the Masters while 90-year-old South African Player captured three of his nine majors at Augusta National and Watson, 76, took two Masters titles and five British Opens among his eight major wins.

Second-ranked McIlroy, a five-time major winner from Northern Ireland, tees off in the first round at 10:31 a.m. (1431 GMT) alongside Americans Cameron Young, the world number three who won last month's Players Championship, and Mason Howell, last year's US Amateur winner.

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World number one Scottie Scheffler, a four-time major champion, launches his quest for a third Masters crown in five seasons at 1:44 p.m. in the penultimate group alongside fellow American Gary Woodland and Scotsman Robert MacIntyre.

Conditions are expected to produce a hard surface with lightning-fast greens where approach shots will struggle to stay in position.

Other expected challengers for the title include LIV Golf stars Jon Rahm and Bryson DeChambeau, both two-time major champions.

American Xander Schauffele and England's Matt Fitzpatrick are among other past major winners expected to contend.

A host of golfers seeking their first major victory include Sweden's Ludvig Aberg and England's Tommy Fleetwood.

اختارت لجنة الحكام في الاتحاد الآسيوي لكرة القدم أربعة حكام قطريين للمشاركة في إدارة مباريات الأدوار النهائية من دوري أبطال آسيا للنخبة، والتي تستضيفها جدة خلال الفترة من 16 إلى 25 أبريل الجاري.

وضمت قائمة الحكام المختارين كلا من عبدالرحمن الجاسم وسلمان فلاحي كحكمي ساحة، إلى جانب رمزان النعيمي وطالب سالم المري كحكمين مساعدين.

ويأتي هذا الاختيار ليعزز الثقة الكبيرة التي يحظى بها التحكيم القطري على مستوى القارة الآسيوية، ويبرهن على الكفاءة العالية والخبرات المتراكمة التي يتمتع بها الحكام القطريون، خاصة في ظل مشاركاتهم المميزة في إدارة أبرز البطولات الإقليمية والدولية.

كما يعزز تواجد الحكام القطريين في هذه المرحلة الحاسمة من البطولة مكانة التحكيم القطري، ويبرز دوره المتواصل في تطوير منظومة التحكيم على المستوى القاري.

تأهل فريقا الشرطة والعربي إلى الدور نصف النهائي من بطولة كأس سمو الأمير للكرة الطائرة في نسختها الـ 47 بعد فوزهما على السد والغرافة (3 - 1) و(3 - 0) تواليا في المباراتين اللتين أقيمتا امس على صالة أسباير للسيدات، ضمن الدور ربع النهائي من البطولة.
ففي المباراة الأولى حقق الشرطة الفوز على السد بثلاثة أشواط مقابل شوط واحد بواقع النتائج (25 - 20، و23 - 25، و26 - 24، و25 - 19).وفي المباراة الثانية فاز العربي على الغرافة بثلاثة أشواط دون رد بواقع (25 - 15، و30 - 28، و25 - 22).
وأكمل الفريقان عقد المتأهلين إلى نصف نهائي البطولة المقامة بنظام خروج المغلوب من مباراة واحدة، وذلك بعد تأهل قطر والوكرة بفوزهما على الريان والأهلي بنتيجة واحدة (3 - 0) في المباراتين اللتين أقيمتا أمس الأول.
ومن المقرر أن تنطلق منافسات الدور نصف النهائي بعد غد بمباراتين تجمع الأولى فريق قطر مع العربي، فيما يلتقي في المباراة الثانية الشرطة مع الوكرة.
وكانت ثمانية فرق تأهلت للدور ربع النهائي، منها أربعة فرق تأهلت بشكل مباشر وهي فرق المربع الذهبي في الدور العام للكرة الطائرة، وهي العربي والوكرة والشرطة والريان، فيما أكملت أندية نادي قطر والغرافة والسد والأهلي عقد المتأهلين من مرحلة التصفيات.

Doha, Qatar: Saudi Arabia’s Abdullah Alsharbatly delivered a commanding performance to secure victory in the Diamond Tour during the tenth round of the Longines Hathab Qatar Equestrian Tour at the Qatar Equestrian Federation’s (QEF) main arena yesterday.

Competing in the Accumulator with Joker class over 150cm, Alsharbatly guided Frenchy Vds to the top of the podium after collecting 65 points in a time of 55.62 seconds. Qatar’s Nasser Al Ghazali finished second with Heavens Light H on 65 points in 60.65 seconds, while Kuwait’s Yara Al Hunaidi secured third place aboard Caprice 563 in 62.00 seconds.

The Bronze Tour individual class, staged as a Table A one round against the clock over 120cm, witnessed a fiercely contested finish among the large field of riders.

The podium winners of the Bronze Tour individual class, Saudi Arabia’s Abdulaziz Gohal (centre), Qatar’s Ahmad Jassim Al Suwaidi (left) and Saudi rider Khaled Al Hadi pose for a photo.

Saudi Arabia’s Abdulaziz Gohal clinched victory with a faultless round aboard Apollon du Banney, clocking 49.51 seconds. Qatar’s Ahmad Jassim Al Suwaidi followed closely in second place with Power Girl Jmg in 49.52 seconds, narrowly ahead of Saudi rider Khaled Al Hadi, who completed the podium with Carlton de Sauvageonn in 49.67 seconds.

In the team standings of the Bronze Tour, Al Shaqab Team delivered a composed performance to secure first place with a combined clear effort in 110.13 seconds. Marwan Al Shaqab finished second in 112.26 seconds, while Aladeed Al Shaqab claimed third place after accumulating eight faults in 102.51 seconds.

Young talents also showcased their developing skills in the Future Riders class over 90cm, staged in a two-phase format. Qatar’s Abdulla Faisal Al Mana emerged victorious riding Brooq with a double-clear round in 17.47 seconds. Fahad Talal Al Naimi secured second place aboard Kroaat Van Orchid’s in 19.36 seconds, while Norah Jassim Al Thani completed the podium with Sandor in 20.73 seconds.

Commenting after the conclusion of the tenth round, Ali bin Yousef Al Rumaihi, Vice Chairman of the Organising Committee, emphasised that supporting riders remains a central priority within the QEF’s strategy.

He highlighted that providing an ideal competitive environment is fundamental to the committee’s vision, noting that the support extends beyond elite riders to include emerging talents in junior and future rider categories through dedicated competitions designed to build experience and confidence.

The Longines Hathab Qatar Equestrian Tour features 14 rounds staged across the QEF’s facilities and the Longines Arena at Al Shaqab, and remains one of the country’s most prominent domestic equestrian championships.

Doha, Qatar: The Qatar Olympic Committee (QOC) has announced that it will participate with a delegation of 34 male and female athletes in the Asian Beach Games, set to be held in Sanya, China, from April 22 to 30, 2026, with the participation of 1,790 athletes, competing across 14 sports.

Abdulla Al Abdulla, Deputy Head of the Qatari Administrative Delegation, confirmed during a press conference held at the QOC headquarters on Sunday that Qatar will compete in 7 sports: beach volleyball (men and women), basketball (men and women), beach handball, sailing, aquathlon, jiu-jitsu, and wrestling.

Al Abdulla noted that Qatar’s participation in the Asian Beach Games comes as part of the QOC’s commitment to maintaining an active presence in various continental sporting events and to strengthening the country’s sporting presence on the Asian stage.

He added that Qatari teams have completed their preparations for the Games through comprehensive training programs overseen by the respective sports federations in coordination with the QOC, emphasizing that the delegation aims to deliver strong performances and compete for medals in a number of sports, particularly beach handball and beach volleyball, in addition to individual disciplines.

The Deputy Head of Administrative Delegation further highlighted that the Games are expected to feature a high technical level, given the participation of elite athletes from across Asia, which presents significant challenges requiring Qatari athletes to demonstrate peak readiness. He explained that the primary objective of participation extends beyond results, focusing on maximizing technical benefits by providing athletes with opportunities to compete against diverse sporting schools and gain valuable competitive experience in a multi-sport environment. He added that this participation represents an important step in the development pathway of Qatari athletes, contributing to enhancing their performance levels and readiness for upcoming continental and international events.

Al Abdulla also reviewed Qatar’s history in the Asian Beach Games, which began with the inaugural edition in Bali 2008, followed by Muscat 2010, and Haiyang 2012, where Qatar secured its first gold medal through the handball team. Qatar later achieved 12 medals in Phuket 2014 (2 gold, 2 silver, and 8 bronze), and 7 medals in Da Nang 2016 (5 gold, 1 silver, and 1 bronze), reflecting the country’s consistent presence in the Games.

For his part, Mohammed Al-Zaidan, Head of the Team Qatar Media Delegation, announced the launch of the promotional campaign accompanying Team Qatar’s participation in the Asian Beach Games – Sanya 2026. He explained that the campaign comes as part of efforts to support the athletes of the Qatari delegation and enhance their media presence throughout the competition period. He added that the campaign aims to motivate both fans and athletes, while also highlighting the achievements of Qatari athletes.

Al-Zaidan further noted that the campaign will focus on showcasing Qatar’s key tourist attractions and the beauty of its beaches, under the slogan “From the Shores of Doha to the Shores of Sanya,” reflecting the connection between sport and tourism and contributing to the promotion of Qatar’s coastal destinations. These include Katara Beach, Old Doha Port, Lusail Marina, the Doha Corniche, The Pearl Island, and 974 Beach.

He also emphasized that the campaign will deliver diverse digital content that captures the atmosphere of the competitions and enhances audience engagement, as part of an integrated media vision aimed at projecting a positive image of Qatari sport at both the continental and international levels across the Committee’s platforms and various media outlets in the country.

The Asian Beach Games – Sanya 2026 will feature 1,790 athletes competing in 14 sports: 3x3 basketball, aquatics (open water swimming and water polo), aquathlon, athletics, handball, kabaddi, football, volleyball, wrestling, rowing, jiu-jitsu, sailing, sport climbing, and teqball.