Doha, January 21 (QNA) – The Qatari national team won the gold medal in the mixed team trap event and set a new Asian and world record on Wednesday at the conclusion of the Asian Shotgun Championships Doha 2026, which was held at the Lusail Shooting Complex over 11 days.

The championships saw the participation of 196 male and female shooters representing 17 countries, competing in skeet and trap events across the men's and women's individual and pairs, junior and junior categories, and mixed team events.

Today's competitions were intense and exciting, featuring the qualifying rounds for the mixed team trap event, followed by the final. The Qatari team, comprised of shooters Mohammed Al Rumaihi and Kholoud Al Khalaf, secured the gold medal after a fierce competition with shooters from Kuwait and Chinese Taipei. They achieved a score of 30 out of 40 targets, setting a new Asian and world record.

The Kuwaiti team, consisting of shooters Talal Al Rashidi and Sarah Al Hawal, finished second with 20 out of 40 targets, earning the silver medal. The Chinese Taipei team, comprised of shooters Kai Pang-chan and Lin Yu-hsin, took the bronze medal after finishing third in the final round with 19 out of 40 targets.

With this result, the Qatari team's medal tally in the championship now stands at eight: four gold and four silver (six in skeet and two in trap).

In the skeet competition, which concluded last week, Qatar won gold medals. Shooter Mutaib Al Marri set a new Asian and world record in the junior individual skeet event. The second gold medal was won in the men's team event by shooters Rashid Saleh Al Athba, Mohammed Ahmed Al Kuwari, and Ali Ahmed Al Ishaq.

Finally, the third gold medal was won in the mixed team event by shooters Rashid Saleh Al-Athba and Reem Al-Sharshani.

Qatar's three silver medals in the skeet competition were won in the junior team event by shooters Mutaib Al Marri, Jassim Mohammed Al Yafai, and Abdulrahman Ahmed Al-Harami; in the women's individual event by shooter Reem Al-Sharshani; and in the women's team event by shooters Reem Al-Sharshani, Sarah Mohammed, and Hajar Mohammed.

In the trap shooting competition, the Qatari team, consisting of shooters Saeed Abu Sharib, Mohammed Al Rumaihi, and Angelo Scalzone, won the silver medal in the men's team event. The championship concluded today with the Qatari duo of Mohammed Al-Rumaihi and Kholoud Al-Khalaf winning the gold medal in the mixed team event.

At the conclusion of the competitions, HE Sheikh Khalifa bin Khalid bin Ahmed bin Abdullah Al-Thani, Director of the Sports Sector at the Qatar Olympic Committee, and Jassim Shaheen Al Sulaiti, Secretary General of the Qatar Shooting and Archery Federation, presented the awards to the top three finishers.

In a statement to the Qatar News Agency (QNA), HE Sheikh Khalifa bin Khalid bin Ahmed bin Abdullah Al -Thani praised the outstanding achievement of the Qatari shooting team at the Asian Shotgun Championship (Skeet and Trap), which was held in Doha over 11 days at the Lusail Shooting Complex and concluded today. He noted that the Qatari team won eight medals (four gold and four silver) at the Asian Championship, which featured 196 shooters from 17 countries. He expressed hope that this success would be further bolstered by the upcoming Asian Games (Asiad) in Nagoya in 2026, which is the ultimate goal.

Regarding the national team's chances at the World Championships scheduled for Qatar next November, which will award 36 Olympic qualification spots, His Excellency emphasized that the Qatar Shooting Federation has done a great deal to support shooters across all categories.

The results were evident today with the gold medal win. He added, "We look forward to continuing these achievements at the 2026 Asian Games in Nagoya, and at the upcoming World Championships in Doha, aiming to secure qualification for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, and to prepare well for the Asian Games, which Qatar will host in 2030."

For his part, Jassim Al-Sulaiti, Secretary General of the Qatar Shooting and Archery Federation, expressed his delight at the significant achievement of Qatari shooters at the Asian Shotgun Championships, affirming that these victories represent an ideal and promising start to a sporting season full of positive results.

He also noted that the federation has turned the page on the Asian Championship to focus on upcoming events, as its ambitions don't stop there. Continuous efforts are underway to ensure the continuation of victories in all international competitions. He revealed the federation's readiness to organize the HH The Amir's Grand Prix Shotgun Championship next month, which is expected to witness fierce competition with the participation of over 300 male and female shooters from around the world.

For his part, Qatari shooter Mohammed Al Rumaihi, who won the gold medal in the mixed team trap event at the Asian Shotgun Championship, expressed his pride in this new continental achievement, emphasizing that Qatar's dominance in this edition was the result of concerted efforts and tireless work.

He explained that this achievement did not come about by chance, but was the fruit of great effort and rigorous training undertaken by Qatari shooters in the past period. He considered the competition to be fierce, with elite Asian champions possessing world-class skills. (QNA)