Ismailia/Egypt, May 2 (QNA) - Team Qatar is taking part in the 2026 IWF World Junior Championships, which officially opened this evening in the Egyptian city of Ismailia. The competition runs until May 8 and features 270 male and female lifters representing 53 countries.

Qatar is competing with two promising lifters. Fares Ahmed Jaber will contest the U20 110kg category, as well as the U17 +94kg division, while Nader Mohammed Bakr will compete in the 94kg category. The team enters the tournament with high ambitions of achieving notable results and raising Qatar's flag on the global stage.

Team Qatar is scheduled to begin its official participation on May 7, following an intensive preparation period that included an overseas training camp as part of its build-up program. The goal has been to reach peak technical and physical readiness, as both the technical and administrative staff aim for a new historic achievement at this age-group level.

The opening ceremony was attended by First Vice President of the Qatar Olympic Committee and President of the Qatar, Arab, Asian, and Afro-Asian Weightlifting Federations, Mohammed Yousef Al Mana along with officials from the International Weightlifting Federation, national federations, and participating delegations, in addition to several Egyptian sports officials and dignitaries.

On the sidelines of the ceremony, Al Mana honored Egypt's Minister of Youth and Sports, Ashraf Sobhy, and Ismailia Governor Major General Nabil El-Sayed Hasballah. In turn, Mohamed Abdel Maqsoud, President of the Egyptian Weightlifting Federation and head of the organizing committee, honored Al Mana in recognition of his efforts to develop the sport at all levels.

Al Mana stated that the World Junior Championships represent an important platform for developing champions and refining emerging talent, noting that the event brings together some of the world's most promising young weightlifters. He also praised the high organizational standards demonstrated from the opening day.

In a press statement, he emphasized that Team Qatar is competing with strong ambitions following solid preparations, highlighting that the country has talented lifters capable of delivering performances that reflect the steady progress of Qatari weightlifting, particularly at the youth level, which forms the foundation of future national teams.

He added that the Qatar Weightlifting Federation continues to implement a clear strategy focused on developing young talent and providing them with international exposure, stressing that global participation plays a key role in building experience and preparing athletes to compete at the highest continental and international levels in the years ahead. (QNA)