QOC issues health advisory for Asian Games participants

Doha, Qatar: The Qatar Olympic Committee (QOC) issued a health advisory for Qatari athletes participating in the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games in Japan.

The advisory, shared by the committee on social media, highlights a number of precautions athletes should take to cope with host country’s weather conditions.

The QOC urged participants to acclimatise early to the weather and gradually adjust their sleep schedules before travelling to Japan to help minimise the effects of jet lag as there are six-hour time difference between Qatar and Japan. beltedkingfisher.blog

Athletes have also been advised to use sunscreen and wear hats for protection against the sun, while maintaining adequate hydration throughout their stay.

The committee particularly recommended drinking electrolyte-rich fluids during long training sessions and competitions to help replace fluids and minerals lost through sweating.

Maintaining a balanced nutrition plan was also highlighted as an important part of preparations, alongside wearing lightweight and breathable sportswear suitable for the expected weather conditions.

Athletes were further advised to keep a light rain jacket handy as they prepare for potentially changing weather conditions during the Games.

Riyadh: Qatar swimming champion Nada Mohamed Wafa has been elected Chairperson of the Athletes Committee of the Islamic Solidarity Sports Association (ISSA) at the Association's General Assembly meeting in Taif, Saudi Arabia, attended by representatives of its member countries.

Wafa's election reflects her sporting achievements and extensive experience in regional and international competitions. In her new role, she will lead the committee tasked with representing athletes and promoting their participation in the Association's activities and events.

Her election reflects the confidence placed in Qatari sporting talent internationally and further strengthens Qatar's presence in regional and international sports organizations. It also reinforces Qatar's contribution to sports development and efforts to support athletes.

Nada Mohamed Wafa is one of Qatar's prominent sporting figures and has represented the country at numerous regional and international competitions, most notably at the 2012 Olympic Games in London and the 2019 World Aquatics Championships in South Korea.

Doha, Qatar: Qatar won three gold medals on the final day of the 10th FISU World University Weightlifting Championship - Doha 2026, hosted by Qatar Foundation.

The championships brought together 116 male and female athletes from 21 countries in a global university sporting event that underscored Qatar's growing presence as a host of major international competitions.

The final day featured competition in four weight classes at the Education City Student Center: the women's 86-kilogram and over-86-kilogram categories and the men's 110-kilogram and over-110-kilogram categories.

In the women's over-86-kilogram category, Qatar's Wissal Yakhlef swept all three gold medals, winning the snatch with a 125-kilogram lift, the clean and jerk with 155 kilograms, and the overall title with a combined total of 280 kilograms.

South Korea's Yoo Hyo-bin won all three silver medals, lifting 103 kilograms in the snatch, 145 kilograms in the clean and jerk and 248 kilograms overall. Slovakia's Lenka Zembova took the three bronze medals, with lifts of 102 kilograms in the snatch and 127 kilograms in the clean and jerk for a total of 229 kilograms.

Yakhlef said she was delighted to win three gold medals in the over-86-kilogram category, describing the achievement as an important milestone in her athletic career.

Speaking to reporters after the medal ceremony, she said her performance and place on the podium were the result of extensive preparation, concentration and sustained work rather than chance.

She said the competition had been far from easy and that the presence of several highly skilled lifters added to the technical quality of the championship. Winning gold in the snatch, clean and jerk and overall competition, she added, would provide a major incentive to continue working and preparing for upcoming competitions.

Yakhlef said the championship and her performance represented the final stage of her training program before she joins Qatar's national team delegation for the weightlifting competition at the 20th Asian Games, Aichi-Nagoya 2026, which begin next week in Japan.

In the women's 86-kilogram category, Chinese Taipei's Yu-Lin Peng swept the gold medals, winning the snatch with 107 kilograms, the clean and jerk with 125 kilograms and the overall title with 232 kilograms.

South Korea's Yubin Hong won all three silver medals, lifting 100 kilograms in the snatch and 124 kilograms in the clean and jerk for a total of 224 kilograms. Moldova's Anastasia Balici took the three bronze medals, with lifts of 93 kilograms in the snatch and 116 kilograms in the clean and jerk for a total of 209 kilograms.

President of the Qatar Collegiate Sports Federation and Chairman of the Championship Organizing Committee, HE Dr. Ibrahim bin Saleh Al Naimi, presented the medals to the top three finishers in the women's 86-kilogram and over-86-kilogram categories in a celebratory ceremony.

In the men's 110-kilogram category, American lifter George Upmeyer swept the gold medals, lifting 168 kilograms in the snatch and 201 kilograms in the clean and jerk for a total of 369 kilograms.

Romania's Paul Ionita won two silver medals and one bronze, taking silver in the clean and jerk with 196 kilograms and in the overall competition with 359 kilograms, while winning bronze in the snatch with 163 kilograms.

American Caleb Wicklund won one silver and two bronze medals. He took silver in the snatch with 164 kilograms and bronze in the clean and jerk with 192 kilograms and overall with 356 kilograms.

In the men's over-110-kilogram category, Iraq's Mustafa Jabbar swept the gold medals, lifting 170 kilograms in the snatch and 212 kilograms in the clean and jerk for a total of 382 kilograms.

South Korea's Park Jin-ho won two silver medals, taking silver in the clean and jerk with 211 kilograms and in the overall competition with 363 kilograms. He lifted 152 kilograms in the snatch.

Moldova's Stanislav Oja won one silver and one bronze, taking silver in the snatch with 166 kilograms and bronze overall with a total of 357 kilograms.

Finland's Hannu Kiskitalo won bronze in the snatch with 165 kilograms, while South Korea's Kim Dong-hyun took bronze in the clean and jerk with 198 kilograms.

The final day of the FISU World University Championship Weightlifting showcased the advanced level of weightlifting in higher education institutions, with the competition marked by strength, excitement, and determination. The male and female lifters delivered impressive performances that reflected the extent of their preparation and ambition, in a competitive atmosphere embodying the values of university sport - excellence, discipline and a spirit of challenge.

Following the conclusion of the competition, a closing ceremony was held, combining a parade of flags of the participating countries with elements of Qatari culture in a welcoming message reflecting Doha's warm reception for the athletes and delegations. A short video also highlighted the events of the five days of competition.

The closing ceremony was attended by Secretary-General of the Qatar Collegiate Sports Federation (QCSF) Rashid Saeed Adiba; FISU Technical Committee Chair, Dr. Milan Mihajlovic; FISU International Supervisory Committee member, Sarita Morales Brenes; and several sports and academic figures and members of the Qatar Collegiate Sports Federation's board.

In remarks at the closing ceremony, QCSF Secretary-General, Rashid Saeed Adiba, expressed his thanks and gratitude to everyone who contributed to the major success of the World University Weightlifting Championships and to all those who contributed their efforts, time and expertise to the success of the global sporting event.

He praised all the participating delegations and the male and female lifters who traveled to Doha, the global sports capital, from around the world. The championships, he said, went beyond sporting competition to provide a platform for fair play, an opportunity to meet and exchange cultures, build friendships and strengthen understanding among young people from around the world.

FISU International Supervisory Committee member, Sarita Morales Brenes, expressed her appreciation and thanks to the Qatar Collegiate Sports Federation and to all the officials, guests, volunteers, coaches, technical officials, members of the media and athletes who contributed to the success of the championships.

The closing ceremony included the handover of the FISU flag to Morales Brenes. Albania will host the 11th edition of the championships in 2028.

The flag handover brought the curtain down on five days of competition involving about 116 male and female athletes from 21 countries, featuring strong technical performances and open competition across the various weight classes.

Brazil’s Alison dos Santos celebrates after winning ahead of Qatar’s Abderrahman Samba and Germany’s Emil Agyekum in the men’s 400m hurdles semi-final heat 1 during the World Athletics Ultimate Championship at the Gyula Zsivotzky National Athletics Centre, in Budapest, yesterday. Samba qualified for the final after clocking 47.83 seconds to finish fourth.

Olympic champion Santos won the race in 47.25, ahead of USA’s former Olympic champion Rai Benjamin.

Samba's compatriot Bassem Hemeida, however, missed out on qualification after finishing fifth in the second semi-final, won by Norway’s world-record holder Karsten Warholm. The final takes place today.

Mexico: The new manager of the Mexico national team Rafael Marquez said on Thursday that he seeks to instill discipline, deep sense of identity, commitment in the team he is hoping to build.

Marquez will take charge of the national team for the first time in friendlies against Colombia, Peru, the United States and Chile in late September and early October. All games will be played in the United States.

Rafael Marquez Alvarez, known as Rafa Marquez, speaks during his presentation as the new head coach of the Mexican men’s national team at the High-Performance Center (CAR) of the Mexican Football Federation in Mexico City, on September 10, 2026. (Photo by Yuri CORTEZ / AFP)

"Establishing and strengthening the identity of this team, that is the goal - for everyone to identify with their national team," said Marquez, who replaced Javier Aguirre in July.

"I will look for players with willingness, who know they must put in their best effort to come to the national team, in the same way that Javier did. That is essential to generate more competition."

Marquez has never managed at senior professional level. He served as Aguirre's assistant for two years and previously managed Barcelona B-team.

The 47-year-old praised the work of Aguirre, who guided Mexico to four wins from its first four games at this year's FIFA World Cup before it fell to England in the round of 16.

"What we went through during the World Cup was important," he said. "I am very excited about this responsibility. I am extremely grateful to Javier because he opened the doors of his coaching staff for me."

He added "I won't be working from scratch. There is continuity and a solid base, I know the environment, and I have surrounded myself with experienced, highly capable people who have competed at a very high level."