Lusail Shooting Range were champion shooters of Qatar train for Olympic ...

Al Shahania bag full points as Al Wakrah and Al Sailiya share spoils in Qatar Stars League

Al Shahania collected full points in a comprehensive 3-1 win over Al Ahli while Al Wakrah and Al Sailiya played out a goalless draw in Week 18 matches of the 2019-20 QNB Stars League at the Al Sadd Stadium and Al Janoub Stadium on Sunday.

 Al Shahania rode on a brace by Iranian midfielder Ramin Rezaein as he scored in the 22nd and 29th (penalty) minutes. Kesse Amangoua (81st minute) was Al Shahania’s other scorer as they earned a lifeline in their attempt to stay in the First Division.

Al Shahania moved on to 13 points with only their second victory in this season’s league, while Al Ahli suffered their ninth loss and remained on 19 points.

 Interestingly, Tunisian striker Ahmed Akaichi, who recently moved from Al Shahania to Al Ahli, scored the latter’s goal in the 60th minute.

 Al Shahania could not have hoped for a better start as the league resumed after a long break. The three points will greatly boost the confidence of their players, coached by Nabil Anwar who recently replaced Spaniard Jose Murcia.

 The victory also enabled Al Shahania to breathe down the neck of nearest challengers Umm Salal (15 points) and Al Khor (14) in the relegation battle.Rezaein was the livewire in Al Shahania ranks. His first goal came off a diving header after Nigel de Jong sent in a free-kick from the right.

 The Iranian scored his second goal from the spot. The penalty was awarded by referee Abdulrahman Al Jassim when Al Ahli’s John Beitsoun tripped Amangoua.

 For Al Ahli, Shane Lowry fumbled with his header after Nabil El Zhar set him up with a free-kick.

 After Akaichi reduced the margin on the hour mark with his quick header off a corner kick from the right by Hernan, Al Ahli raised visions of drawing level when they looked like having earned a penalty in the 68th minute, but that was ruled out by the Video Assistant Referee. Al Shahania captain Alvaro Perez seemed to have fouled Hernan.

 Al Ahli also had the ignominy of Majed Mohammed’s goalbound free-kick being saved with difficulty by goalkeeper Ebrahim Daryoush.

 Amangoua rounded off the tally when he found the target with a grounder, beating off the challenge from three rival players, after receiving a long high ball from deep in the right.

 Al Ahli and Al Shahania had played out a 2-2 draw in the first leg of 2019-20 QNB Stars League.

At the Al Janoub Stadium on Sunday, Al Wakrah and Al Sailiya drew gaoless and now have 20 and 24 points respectively.

 It was Al Wakrah’s fifth draw and Al Sailiya’s third.

 Al Sailiya had beaten Al Wakrah 3-1 in the first leg of 2019-20 QNB Stars League.

 Al Wakrah had suffered three successive defeats before the tournament was stopped, so they succeeded in arresting their losing streak.

 Al Wakrah would have been more happy with the shared point as they look to improve their position in the top flight, where they are featuring after a gap of two seasons.

 However, Al Sailiya would rue the two dropped points as they are keen on finishing among the top four and thus playing in the Qatar Cup and AFC Champions League, just like they did last season when they secured a third-place finish, their best-ever performance in the league.

 Possession was almost equal throughout the game and both teams had their share of chances, but a goal did not happen.

 Al Wakrah clearly had more opportunities in the first half, with Cristian Ceballos, Mohamed Benyettou and Omar Ali attacking, keeping Al Sailiya goalkeeper Amine Lecomte, who recently switched side from Al Duhail, busy.

 Omar twice skied the ball, Benyettou once sent his shot straight to Lecomte and Ceballos narrowly shot wide of the target.

 At the other end, Al Sailiya’s Mohammed Faisal sent his long-range shot wide.

 Changing ends, Al Sailiya showed more alacrity. Hardly five minutes into the second half, Abdulqadir Ilyas had a narrow miss and he was at it again in the 64th minute, but this time, he could not control the ball. Karim Ansari too joined the brisk action.

 Lecomte had to bring out all his experience and expertise to parry a powerful long-ranger by Ceballos in the 75th minute and the scoreline remained the same.

Qatar’s shotgun coach Victor from Ukraine accorded warm farewell

Qatar’s shotgun coach Victor accorded warm farewell

Evolution Sports Qatar all set to resume coaching

Evolution Sports is delighted to bring back physical activities…

In line with the Qatar government and gradual lifting of restrictions guidelines (phase 3), Evolution Sports will safely resume physical activities with a range of fun sports camps and technical coaching clinics, delivered by specialist qualified coaches.

The highly successful #IAM Evo Multi-sports holiday camp will kick-off at Park House English School (Abu Hamour) for youngsters aged between 4 to 11 years old. Bringing a mixture of exciting games and sports where all participants are guaranteed to have fun, meet new friends and develop new skills in a safe and fun environment.

For the first time, Evolution Sports will be joining forces with the Clement Sports, who are highly qualified specialists in fencing and archery.

Throughout the summer children & adults will have the chance to try their hand at both fencing and archery at the purpose-built Qatar Fencing Federation training hall (Al Maamoura). Whether you are a beginner or an international level competitor, the #IAM Evo camps and clinics will have a place for you.

 

After months of Virtual Live Team Training, we are excited to restart physical sports! From the 2nd August Evo's specialist soccer, basketball, netball and swimming coaches will deliver a 4-week coaching programme at Park House English School. Members 8 years and above, will get the chance to train like a pro athlete and work with the Evo team from Sunday to Thursday for 1 hour per day.

 

Throughout all programmes during this period the Evo coaching team will adhere to a number of safety procedures to ensure, group sizes are limited, social distancing is observed, equipment and facilities are sanitized, to provide our members with safest sporting environment possible.

 

#IAM Evo Multi-sports Camps

• 8 am – 1 pm

• 4 - 11 years old

• 700 QAR per week 

• Park House English School (Abu Hamour)

 

#IAM Evo Fencing and Archery Clinics (Powered by Clement Sports)

• 8 am – 1 pm

• 8 – 12 Years old

• 700 QAR per week 

• Qatar Fencing Federation Training Hall (Al Maamoura)

 

#IAM Evo Fencing Clinics (Powered by Clement Sports)

• 4 pm – 6 pm 

• 13 Years old +

• 750 QAR per week

• Qatar Fencing Federation Training Hall (Al Maamoura)

 

#IAM Evo Archery Clinics (Powered by Clement Sports)

• 6.30 pm – 8.30 pm

• 13 Years old + 

• 750 QAR per week

• Qatar Fencing Federation Training Hall (Al Maamoura)

 

Evolution Sports - ReStart Clinics 

• Soccer, Swimming, Basketball, Netball

• Between 2 pm - 7:30 pm 

• 8 Years old + 

• 400 QAR per week

• Park House English School (Abu Hamour)

All camps have limited spaces and registrations are now open, so to avoid disappointment and ensure that your child gets to take part in the most exciting summer camps in town, sign up today via www.evosportsqatar.com 

If you would like to know more about either of our holiday camps, please contact our friendly Customer Support team– info@evosportsqatar.com or call 6645 3200

 Evolution Sports is Qatar's largest and most establish sports coaching provider for children and young adults aged 18 months -18 years. 

Formed in 2007 Evolution Sports quickly established itself as a market leader in the provision of sports for children and young adults in Qatar. Already recognised as one of the leading academies in the Middle East, Evo has worked alongside the Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy, the Qatar Football Association, the Qatar Stars League and Aspire to provide a world class coaching environment where good values and sportsmanship are held in equally high regard as winning and losing. 

With over 3000 active members across 6 different disciplines at Evolution Sports we believe that a child's health is paramount to their success...

Evolution Sports were recently awarded by GHP Fitness and Nutrition “Best Multi-Sport youth coaching company – Qatar 2019” 

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Hojgaard takes lead on first day of Qatar masters 2020

Hojgaard takes lead on first day of Qatar masters 2020

 

ARMSTRONG VAS

THE PENINSULA

Danish teenager Nicolai Hojgaard produced a remarkable run of scoring on the back nine to take a one-shot lead at the 2020 Commercial Bank Qatar Masters in Doha yesterday.

On the first day of the European Tour event, the 18-year-old, runner-up behind Sergio Garcia at the KLM Open last season, started with a seven-under 64 to hit the front at Education City Golf Club.

Hojgaard hit the turn in 35, then birdied seven of the next eight holes before a second bogey of a stunning opening round ensured he had to settle for the slenderest of advantage. “It was a good day,” said Højgaard.

“I started out slow, was playing really bad on the first four, five, six holes - I was still two under at that point but I was just playing it all over the place. My putter was just on fire today, that’s the difference.

“When I came to the back nine I was hitting fairways, hitting it close and rolling the putter. You just hit the button and you keep going. I was hitting the fairway, I was hitting greens, I was getting close on the par fives.

“My putter was just the difference today. I was playing okay with the long game but I was just holing everything. “The back nine is a bit more tricky off the tee so I would say it was more of a three wood on the back nine, I was hitting a lot of three woods and it was pretty good.”

Dutchman Joost Luiten was a shot back, one ahead of Spaniards Jorge Campillo and Carlos Pigem, Italy’s Lorenzo Gagli, Belgian Thomas Pieters, England’s Andy Sullivan and Dane Jeff Winther.

 “I am absolutely pleased. Seven birdies and one dropped shot, it wasn’t really needed that dropped shot coming out of the middle of the fairway but on a golf course like this where it is really tricky on and around the greens, I was out of position, so sometimes you just have to accept the bogey. All in all, I am happy with my game,” Luiten said.

“Yesterday and Tuesday were really bad (winds) so I didn’t do a lot of practise because you can ask yourself if it really helps if you hit into a 50 mile and hour wind on the range. So I tried to stay away from it and played the course, get to know it a bit better and it was beautiful today,” he added.

 “I think on the golf course if you are in the fairway you can be pretty aggressive to the undulated greens. I hit my irons and driver beautiful today which created a lot of chances and I rolled in a couple of putts,” Luiten said.

England’s Marcus Armitage made the first big move of the day, birdieing the second and third and then reeling off a hat-trick from the fifth to get to five under. Armitage, India’s S S P Chawrasia, Scottish pair David Drysdale and Scott Jamieson, South African D a r r e n F i c h a r d t , Frenchman Benjamin Hebert and South Korea’s Kyongjun Moon were three off the lead.

 

 

 

 

Former winner Pepperell disqualified after scoreboard blunder

ARMSTRONG VAS

THE PENINSULA

Former champion Eddie Pepperell’s hopes of collecting a second trophy in Qatar suffered a cruel blow at the Education City Golf Club course as he was disqualified from the European Tour event.

 

The 29-year-old, who did not take part in last year’s event, besides eyeing The Mother of the Pearl Trophy was aiming to climb back into the world’s top 50 in time to qualify for The Masters.

 

The winner of Qatar Masters in 2018, Pepperell was disqualified for signing an incorrect scorecard, erasing what was an opening-round 71, which was seven off the lead. A mix-up on his scorecard led to his second disqualification from a European Tour event in four months.

 

Pepperell took to Twitter to explain the bizarre situation that led to his disqualification “Quite disappointing as I actually took the time to change the original error, only to make a costlier one myself,”

 

Pepperell tweeted. “I asked the referee if this had any bearing on my disqualification but it didn’t. … The rules are the rules and I 100% accept that, but I can’t help feeling that this particular way of disqualification is a fair distance away from common sense, and that’s also disappointing. I enjoyed the course however and hopefully next time I’ll do a better job,” he said.

 

Pepperell is now struggling to get back in the world’s top 50 in time for The Masters Pepperell, who pulled out of last week’s Oman Open due to coronavirus fears, entered the week ranked 63rd in the world after an erratic start to 2020, missing the cut in South Africa and Abu Dhabi before bouncing back with a tie for 11th at the Dubai Desert Classic.

 

His hopes of making a second appearance at Augusta National next month are now in the balance, as Pepperell would need to be ranked in the world’s top 50 after the WGC Match Play, also an event he is now battling to qualify for. Pepperell’s disqualification in Qatar follows his bizarre early exit in Turkey last November, when he ran out of balls after losing “four or five” in the water at the fourth during the third round and was unable to complete the hole.

 

 

 

A rainy day in Goa, greenery and coconut trees

Stranded Goans reach Dabolim via special Chartered flight one more to fo...

Pango cries foul as GFA President Churchill Alemao unilaterally declares season as 'over'

Pango cries foul as GFA President Churchill Alemao unilaterally declares season as 'over'

Goa Football Association (GFA) vice President Anthony Pango has lamented that the GFA President instead of addressing the issues raised by the Executive Committee members and replying them has preferred to take the media route.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rnrn79xtuXw

Five executive committee members had written to the president to convey a meeting of the Executive Committee and had addressed letters on May 22 and a fresh one last week was sent to the Secretary. The EC members had requested the president to convey a meeting digitally to decide on the fate of the entire season and the pending leagues and tournament besides other issues, taking into account the Covid 19 situation, but none of the reminders and letters evoked any response from the President and the Secretary.

Pango said while FIFA and All India Football Federation (AIFF) have made use of the digital platforms like Zoom to host meeting why the same is not happening at GFA, he has questioned.

“FIFA and AIFF have decided regarding closing or extending the football season by holding meeting of the Executive Committee electronically. We have remained the GFA President and Secreatry in our letters,”  Pango, a former footballer who played in the Goa top tier completion for Agassaim Youth Club.

Pango said GFA President is not authorized to arrive at such unilateral decisions like declaring the season as ‘over’, he said.

“GFA President is not empowered to take such decisions of ending the season on his own,’ he added.

“More than five Executive Committee members had written to the GFA Secretary and President requesting for a meeting. Instead of replying to the duly elected members the President chose to go to the section of the media,” he said.

 

Goan football season of 2019-2020 'over' rules GFA President Churchill Alemao

Goa Football Association (GFA) 2019-2020 season is well and truly  ‘over’ if ones goes by the press note released by the its General Secretary Jovito Lopes.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x7EtFapFQgo

Lopes, who is a paid secretary of GFA, has in a letter circulated to the GFA Executive Committee members has said “We need to know when the season could be made operative for the new season 2020-2021 as the season 2019-2020 is over,” without specifying as how and who has taken the decision to officially end the season which was halted in March 23 this year on account of the Corona Virus pandemic.

A host of executive committee members have been in arms over the failure of the president to convey a meeting of the Executive Committee and had addressed letters on May 22 addressed to the President and a fresh one last week sent to the Secretary. The EC members had requested the president to convey a meeting digitally to decide on the fate of the entire season and the pending leagues and tournament besides other issues, taking into account the Covid 19 situation, but none of the reminders and letters evoked any response from the President and the Secretary, they lamented.

The GFA president has nowhere touched upon the idea of hosting the EC meeting via the digital platform and instead has stated that it is has had not been feasible to host the meeting on account of the COVID-19 Pandemic situation.

“The President, Mr. Churchill Alemao, desires to inform that in view of the COVID-19 Pandemic situation from March 23, 2020; the Lockdown, the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), the Government Order restraining meetings, it has not been possible to have the meetings of the Executive Committee,” Lopes says.

A host of decision pertaining to the upcoming season need to be arrived which needs the approval of the EC and Churchill said they will be addressed in due time without setting any timeframe to the hosting of the EC meeting.

“Several important decisions need to be taken, like the status, outcome of several championships/leagues; renewal of membership registration, AGM, etc and these will be definitely taken up and decided by the Committee. The clubs' interests shall be protected,” he stressed.

The President stressed that the registered clubs with GFA need not worry about the club annual renewal process as “their interest shall be fully protected”.

The GFA press release said with Covid19 cases increasing and transmissions in full force and a likely scenario of Goa touching its peak in terms of positive cases, Churchill has said this is not the right time to host a EC meeting.

“At the moment, the situation is quite worrisome due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and all decisions in the best interest of the affiliated units, which are very dear to me, will be arrived at by the Executive Committee once the situation improves in the State,” the President said.

 “The situation is worsening in the State what with five deaths and new cases increasing every day and more areas coming under the pandemic. More and more people are testing positive, containment zones sealed. With transmission almost in full force and predictions that Goa could be touching the peak, the President emphasised that life is very precious and as such the need to take utmost precautions as well as strict adherence to Government guidelines,” Churchill added.

Churchill pointed out that the Goa Government in their circular has specifically asked to restrain from having meetings due to the prevailing situation in the country and in Goa.

 At the time of postponement a host of leagues and tournaments were on the verge of getting over and a few were yet to start.

The Goa Professional League, the top tier competition did not get over and at the time of the postponement Sporting Clube de Goa were leading 44 points from 20 matches in the 12-team league played on a home and away basis.

Dempo were in the second spot with 41 points from 21 matches followed by Churchill Bros. 37 from 17 points and Salgaocar SC 35 from 21 matches. Churchill Bros, patron incidentally is GFA President Churchill Alemao.

The second tier of Goan competition, First Division League did not start when all sporting activities in the state came to a standstill on account of the Covid19 situation.

Chinese players WTA tour dream on track in face of coronavirus scare

Chinese players WTA tour dream on track in face of coronavirus scare

Chinese tennis players fight off adverse off court conditions to keep WTA dream on track

 

The outbreak of the coronavirus has hit many worldwide sporting events and athletes alike. Chinese sports has taken a big beating with some major sports events having been cancelled or postponed, while, some countries have put restrictions on the Chinese travel plans.

In that sense World No.37 Zheng Saisai is lucky that she is able to compete on the WTA Tour while back home the Xi'an Open has been called off and the Chinese Davis Cup team had to withdraw.

Asked whether she feels that the Chinese athletes have taken the biggest hit of the worldwide scare Zheng said: “I don't know, I think it's just trying to protect athletes, you know, not to affect so much. I really, I don't know, but I just feel, you know, many athlete was working pretty hard and right now with the situation is they can only stay home. So just hope that everything's going to go well very soon and people start to working normal,”

The 26-year-old, a surprise quarter-finalist at the Qatar Total Open, said the Chinese are very ‘pretty strong’ and that ‘people are working pretty hard and try(ing) to find a solution’.

 “It's a pretty sad what's going on right now and it's not looking great, but I mean our Chinese are pretty strong, we always stick together, always going to be together in all these tough moments, just have to be patient,” said Zheng in  response to a question.

Asked if the travel restriction on Chinese nationals has affected her travel plans she said: “I was in Dubai last week, so was fine. Yeah, you know, you see every day some news, it's pretty sad, you know, this start to growing. And hopefully -- I think people are working pretty hard and try to find a solution.”

“It didn't really (affect) me, because I was always traveling for the tournaments, so it didn't bother me so much,” she added.

Zheng’s extended run of three matches at the WTA Tour event was brought to an end by ninth seed Aryna Sabalenka on Thursday. The Belarusian won 3-6, 7-6, 6-3 to advance to the semi-final of the Premier 5 event.

On Wednesday night, the Chinese No.2 had pocketed a thrilling 3-6, 6-3, and 6-4 comeback win over World No.6 Kiki Bertens of The Netherlands.

The good run in Qatar means that Zheng has reached the quarter-finals of the WTA event for the first time in four years.

It was also her 6th career win over world's top-10 players following her victories over Karolina Pliskova (2016), Angelique Kerber (2016), Agnieszka Radwanska (2016), Elina Svitolina (2017) and Sabalenka (2019).

Zheng is now breathing down her compatriot Wang Qiang's neck as her latest heroics in Doha is expected to see her overtake Zhang Shuai to become the second highest-ranked tennis player in China, who has so far won three career singles title.

Clubs’ competitive potential would be hit for various years: says La Liga President Tebas

 

Armstrong Vas

The global corona virus crisis is going to severely affect the European clubs’ competitive potential over the next few years, says La Liga President Javier Tebas.

Spain, which has given football the tiki-taka version of the game, has many of its coaches plying their trade across various leagues throughout the world including Qatar. The country is dependent on football in multiple ways and the crisis has not only affected the clubs but hit the wider economy in the Iberian country.

Spain earns 1.67% of its Gross Domestic Product from football and the COVID-19 outbreak is having is its impact in a country where over 1.5 million people earn their livelihood - either directly or indirectly - from the world’s most beautiful game.

“I won’t go as far as saying that clubs would be thrown into crisis because our financial controls are very robust, but clubs’ competitive potential would be hit for various years. 28% of the television broadcast contracts revenue, amounting to more than €500 million, is still up in the air,” said Tebas.

La Liga, which suspended its competition until the emergency is dealt with, will be part of UEFA’s core committee charged with redrawing the European football calendar. The commission is made up of three UEFA members, three ECA (European Club Association) members, La Liga and the Premier League. 

“If we look at the industry as a whole, all 30 European leagues together, €7.5 billion is at risk due to this crisis. That would be the cost of not being able to complete every competition. It would put the football industry at risk in some places. That’s why we need a global solution. It’s a problem that affects us all and all the competitions need to be coordinated,” he added, when asked about the potential financial losses that La Liga clubs could suffer in the near future.

On a possible restart for competitions in Europe he said: “Given the current situation we believe we can restart the competitions in mid-May, perhaps during the third week. If circumstances permit, we could bring that forward. There are 30 affected leagues, 30 cup tournaments, and we have to coordinate each schedule at both a national and international level. We need to work together.”

Tebas said some of the European leagues are working in tandem to tight over the crisis.

“We are working with leagues such as Serie A in Italy, who have 14 games still to play, or the Danish league, who have 15 left to play. UEFA’s decision to postpone Euro 2020 will help us find a way to finish our competitions. We made our calendar calculations even before the decision to postpone it. We knew we could work something out and we’re now looking at different restart dates. We have to work in reverse, as it were, looking at the latest date we could start playing to work out other options,” he said.

In light of UEFA’s decision to officially postpone Euro 2020, Tebas said: “It’s not wishful thinking, it’s the reality: the competitions can finish in June. We said it before they postponed the European Championships until 2021, and now we have even more reason to say it.”

 

 

Kuznetsova eyes another tilt at the top

Kuznetsova eyes another tilt at the top

Two-time Grand Slam winner Svetlana Kuznetsova – a surprise semi-finalist at this year’s Qatar Total Open is seemingly ready for another tilt at a top-10 position, after a series of highs and lows over the past four years.

The Russian dropped to World No. 107 at the end of 2018 and further slipped to 198 last year after missing the Citi Open in Washington, courtesy of a delayed visa.

But a steady run since then has helped her crack the top-50 which she aims to improve further as the season progresses.

Kuznetsova, winner of the 2009 French Open and the 2004 US Open has not given up on adding another Grand Slam titles to her collection.

“Of course, why not?, the 34-year Russian said in response to a question as to whether she is aiming to win another Grand Slam title.

“They always told me I'm black horse, so I can still be black horse. I always been, when I won French, when I with won US Open, why not?, you never know” she added.

She said the level of the women tennis has gone up and she too has raised the bar.

“The level is tremendously high, I know I am capable of beating top 10 players, but I need to get better. I see things to improve, I already improved a lot from my past years. The level of the game raised a lot and it made me improve my game, because with the level I used to play, with the game strategy I couldn't be winning many matches now. Still, I need to get some things up, “

The World No. 46 Kuznetsova has appeared in four Grand Slam singles finals, winning two, and she has also appeared in seven doubles finals, winning twice. As a doubles player, Kuznetsova has reached the finals of each Grand Slam event at least once, winning the Australian Open twice.               

She said that the competition is very close in the tournaments then it was five or six years back.

“ I always said this, that now it's the level is raised a lot and it's very hard. Like sometimes I say it's no players who really kind of maintain their level, like no first round losses, there is not many players like that. But it's because that tennis is very high level for me right now and it's very competitive sport, we're getting better and better, so that's great for the game.

Born to an athletic family, Kuznetsova moved at the age of seven to Spain to attend the Sanchez-Casal Academy. In 2001, she first took part in a WTA tournament, the Madrid Open, and a year later won her first WTA title at the Nordea Nordic Light Open in Helsinki, Finland. Her first appearance in a Grand Slam tournament was at the 2002 Australian Open and her first Grand Slam title came at the 2004 US Open over countrywoman Elena Dementieva, making her the third Russian woman to win a Grand Slam title, after Anastasia Myskina and Maria Sharapova.

 

Pango says foul as GFA President Churchill Alemao unilaterally declares ...

Goan football season of 2019-2020 'over' rules GFA President Churchill A...

Spotlight on US, Qatar and equestrian sports at #bigmeetup of Bosco Menezes

Spotlight on US, Qatar and equestrian sports at #bigmeetup of Bosco Menezes

Doha, Qatar July 3: Qatar: Sand, Sea, and Sky book of Diana Untermeyer and equestrian sports will take centre stage on Saturday July 4, 8pm at the 13th edition of #bigbmeetup, Qatar's only weekly virtual community meet up.

The meet up is a prelude to the QatarUSA year of culture 2021, organizer Bosco Menezes informed. Diana is a former cultural advisor to the Qatar-America Institute and she lived in Qatar, from 2004 – 2007 while her husband Chase Untermeyer served as US ambassador. 

At this week’s session Bosco has invited former US Ambassador to Qatar Chase Untermeyer and wife Diana, author of the book Qatar: Sand, Sea, and Sky which was published in December 2011.

Diana, will be talking about her journey as a writer and on equine, while her husband will talk about his experiences in Qatar as an Ambassador of the United States of America.
In Qatar, she was active with women’s and children’s programs and in the conservation, arts and health communities.  Diana also participated in numerous equestrian sports and won top rider for the 2006-2007 endurance season.

The initiative 'bigbmeetup' is run by Qatar based event planner, photographer and artist and is a community initiative founded by him. The aim of this initiative is to inspire, inform, educate and spread the news of the good deeds individuals and groups of people perform in their everyday lives for the betterment of humankind.

Diana, a graduate from the University of Virginia, worked as a wilderness guide, a liaison between the Vice President’s office and the Presidential Task Force on Regulatory Relief, an advance representative for then-Vice President and Mrs. Bush, and later as executive assistant to the counsel to President George H.W. Bush.

The first #bigmeetup was held at The Torch Doha in April 2018 where Qatar 2022 brand ambassador and beIN Sports anchor, Mohammed Saadon Al Kuwari, was the keynote speaker.

For more details visit www.bigbfotografi.com or log in to www.facebook.com/bigbfotografi

About her Book:

Qatar: Sand, Sea and Sky is an overview of the country and its journey into modernity while it preserves the duality of its culture as a desert by the sea. Stunning photography pairs with informative and personal text by the wife of the most recent United States ambassador to Qatar to give Westerners traveling to Qatar on business or for World Cup preparations an inside understanding of this moderate Muslim country and the way it attempts to become modern and engaged with the world without losing its heritage. It includes an introduction by Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani, current chair of the Qatari Foundation Reach Out to Asia and Father Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani.