Doha, January 16 (QNA) - Qatari shooters Rashid Saleh Al Athba and Reem Al Sharshani won the gold medal in the mixed team skeet competition on the fifth day of the Asian Shotgun Championships Doha 2026, currently being held at the Lusail Shooting Complex. The competition continues until next Wednesday, with 196 male and female shooters representing 17 countries participating.

Today's competitions were intense and exciting, featuring the qualifying rounds for the mixed team skeet event, followed by the final round. The Qatari team, comprised of shooters Rashid Saleh Al Athba and Reem Al Sharshani, secured first place and the gold medal with a score of 47 targets. The South Korean team, consisting of shooters Jang Soo-hwang and Koki Jang, finished second with 45 targets, winning the silver medal. The Kazakh team, consisting of shooters Eduard Yashchenko and Asim Urnbay, took the bronze medal after finishing third with 39 targets.

With this victory, the Qatari team raised their medal tally to six in the skeet competition: three gold and three silver.

With the conclusion of the skeet competitions today, the championship continues tomorrow, Saturday, for its sixth day, with official training sessions for the trap shooting competition across all categories: men, women, juniors, and youth. Qualifying rounds for the trap event will begin on Sunday, followed by the individual finals for juniors and youth, and the awards ceremony on Monday.

The individual finals for men, women, and mixed junior teams, along with the awards ceremony, will take place on Tuesday. The championship will conclude on Wednesday, January 21st, with the mixed team final (men and women), followed by the awarding of prizes to the top three finishers.

Secretary General of Qatar Shooting and Archery Association (QSAA) and Director of the Championship, Jassim Shaheen Al Sulaiti expressed his delight at the victory of Qatari national team shooters Rashid Saleh Al Athba and Reem Al Sharshani, who won the gold medal in the mixed team skeet competition at the Asian Shotgun Championships currently being held in Doha at the Lusail Shooting Complex.

Al Sulaiti told the Qatar News Agency (QNA): "The season started very strongly with our shooters' participation in the Asian Shotgun Championship, which saw the participation of Asian and world champions. Our shooters managed to win six medals: three gold and three silver. This is a testament to the continuous work of the Qatari national team's technical staff." He added that these achievements were made possible thanks to the ongoing support of the Qatar Olympic Committee, headed by HE Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al-Thani, and also from Dr. Meshaal Ibrahim Al Nasr, President of QSAA, who is keen to provide all the necessary resources for Qatari shooters, including training camps and top-level coaches, to achieve the best results.

Al Sulaiti explained that this diligent work will continue in upcoming competitions so that Qatari shooters can reach the podium in various events and bring honor to Qatari sports regionally and internationally.

Regarding the trap competition, which begins tomorrow as part of the Asian Championship, the tournament director said: "Our shooters are ready for the trap competition and are looking forward to continuing their success, similar to the skeet competition."

Al Sulaiti affirmed that QSAA received numerous accolades for the impressive organization of the Asian Shotgun Championship from all participating delegations and shooters, as well as from the Asian Shooting Confederation, headed by HE Sheikh Salman Al Hamoud Al Sabah. He noted that this is not surprising for Qatar and its Shooting Association, which has distinguished itself in organizing various world and Asian championships for the sport.

In closing, Al Sulaiti stated that Qatar will host the World Shooting Championship next November, which serves as a qualifier for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. He explained that the Qatari national team will prepare for this event by participating in several upcoming local, Gulf, Arab, and continental competitions, culminating in the World Championship in Qatar at the end of this year. He wished all the shooters success in the remaining competitions of the Asian Shotgun Championship in Doha. (QNA)