High jumper Mutaz and shooter Al Dana chosen as Qatar’s best athletes of the year

IAAF World Championships high jump winner Mutaz Essa Barshim and ace shooter Al Dana Saad Al Mubarak were chosen as Qatar’s male and female athletes of the year respectively yesterday.

The winners were crowned during a special ceremony to mark the Qatar Olympic Committee’s Sport Excellence Day at the Aspire Dome yesterday, reported Gulf Times.

We marked Sport Excellence Day at @Aspirezone today in celebration of our athletes, coaches and stakeholders for their achievements this year #YallaQatar pic.twitter.com/V0FKXavDWw

— Team Qatar (@qatar_olympic) November 18, 2018

Qatar Olympic Committee president HE Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani gave away medals to the winners in various categories and thanked them for their servic e to the nation.

جائزة رياضي الموسم تذهب الى البطل العالمي في الوثب العالي #معتز_برشم ويتسلم بالنيابه عنه والده السيد : عيسى برشم
Male Athlete of the Year Award goes @mutazbarshim pic.twitter.com/TIq41RP2J6

— Team Qatar (@qatar_olympic) November 18, 2018

“Development of athletes to reach the highest level is a top priority of the Qatar Olympic Committee. Team Qatar had a successful year across many sports as medals were won and records were broken. The athletes continued to perform and bring home many glorious titles,” said HE Sheikh Joaan.

Awards were presented to athletes and administrators in different categories during the celebrations. 

جائزة التألق الرياضي تذهب الى عداء #الأدعم عبدالرحمن صامبا من الاتحاد القطري لألعاب القوى #يوم_التميز_الرياضي
The 2017/2018 Sport Excellence Award goes to Team Qatar’s Abdulrahman Samba
@almbrek96 @qatarathletics pic.twitter.com/0YsPEbgKFT

— Team Qatar (@qatar_olympic) November 18, 2018

Barshim, who opened the 2018 Diamond League season with a win in Doha, couldn’t attend the ceremony. His father collected the award on his behalf.

حصلت على جائزة لاعبة الموسم من ذوي الاحتياجات الخاصة البطلة العالمية ساره حمدي مسعود ويستلم بالنيابه عنها امير الملا
Team Qatar’s silver world medallist Sara Hamdi Masoud wins Female Para-Athlete of the Year Award@QatarParalympic pic.twitter.com/5jPByC8GuN

— Team Qatar (@qatar_olympic) November 18, 2018

Female Athlete of the Year Al Dana excelled in various shooting competitions in Asia, inspiring many aspiring sportswomen.

حصل على جائزة لاعب الموسم من ذوي الاحتياجات الخاصة البطل العالمي عبدالرحمن عبدالقادر الحاصل على الميدالية الذهبية في بطولة العالم لألعاب القوى #لندن2017
Team Qatar’s gold World medallist Abdulrahman Abdulqader wins Male Para-Athlete of the Year Award@QatarParalympic pic.twitter.com/kCfWlv6B9t

— Team Qatar (@qatar_olympic) November 18, 2018

Ace hurdler Abderrahman Samba, who dominated the Diamond League and won the Asian Games title, won the ‘Sport Excellence’ award.

جائزة رياضية الموسم تذهب الى الرامية الدانة المبارك الحاصلة على ذهبية التضامن الإسلامي باكو 2017 ويتسلم بالنيابه عنها السيد علي الكواري رئيس الاتحاد القطري للرماية
Female Athlete of the Year Award goes to Al Dana Saad Al Mubarak@qatarshooting pic.twitter.com/Vp4LsUd311

— Team Qatar (@qatar_olympic) November 18, 2018

Rania Al Naji won the Promising Female Athlete of the Year.

Administrative awards were presented to the Ministry of Education and Higher Education for its continuous support to the Olympic movement in Qatar and Aspire Zone for supporting sport and organising social sport programmes, which play a critical role in developing athletes from a young age. 

جائزة اداري الموسم تذهب الى محمد دحيم الدوسري من الاتحاد القطري لرياضة ذوي الإحتياجات الخاصة
Male Administrator of the Year Award: Mohammed D Al Dosari@QatarParalympic pic.twitter.com/ykJ6Lpqy20

— Team Qatar (@qatar_olympic) November 18, 2018

Mohamed Al Dosari was presented with the Male Administrator of the Year award.