Ken Lee, Secretary-General of Asian Rowing Federation speaking at a press conference at Doha Sailing Club yesterday. Qatar will host the Asian Indoor Rowing Championship 2014 from tomorrow at the Hamad bin Khalifa University’s Student Centre. BOTTOM: Hassan Abdullah Mohsen, Assistant Secretary-General of Qatar Sailing and Rowing Federation (QSRF). PICTURES BY: SYED BASHEERUDDIN
Doha: Three Qatari rowers will spearhead the host nations challenge at the Asian Indoor Rowing Championship 2014 which will begin from tomorrow at the Hamad bin Khalifa University’s Student Centre, it was announced here yesterday.
Addressing a press conference here yesterday at Doha Sailing Club (DSC), Hassan Abdullah Mohsen, Assistant Secretary General of Qatar Sailing and Rowing Federation (QSRF) said it is for the first time the Asian Indoor Rowing Championship is been held in Qatar and the GCC region.
“It is a great honour to host the championship and Qatar is the first country which is hosting the championship in the GCC region. We have one of the best venue, the Hamad bin Khalifa University’s Student Centre, and all the arrangements for the hosting of the event have been completed,” said Mohsen.
The QSRF official said three Qatari rowers Nasser Ghanim Al Abdulla, Baderddin Almabrul Al Amadani and Ahmed Mishal Al Meaid will be taking part in the two-day championship which will end on Friday.
Nasser will take part in the Men’s Open Individual 2,000 metres and Men’s Open Pairs 2,000 metres, while Baderddin in Men’s lightweight Individual 2,000 metres and Men’s Open Pairs 2,000 metres. Ahmed will vie for top honours in the Men’s Open Individual 2,000 metres.
The response for the championship has been very good from the competitors, said Mohsen.
“Around 91 rowers from 13 Asian countries like Indonesia, Iraq, Japan, Kazakhstan, Korea, Kuwait, Lebanon, Pakistan, Qatar, Thailand, Chinese Taipei, UAE and Uzbekistan are taking part. The two-day event will be held in individual, pairs and fours’ categories.”
Fahad Al Bonain, Manager of Qatar Rowing team while explaining the concept of Indoor Rowing said: “Indoor rowing takes place mostly in the winter months when I cannot do the sport outdoors. So the competition takes place indoors and not on water. The techniques used in competing outdoors and indoor’s are the same.
“Power, endurance and technique are the key requirements,” he added.
The QSRF official added Indoor rowing is not quite popular like its outdoor version.
“Qatar is taking the lead in creating awareness and trying to make the sport popular in the country,” said Bonaim.
Ken Lee, Secretary-General of Asian Rowing Federation said ten events will take place over two days and the curtains will come down on the championship with the ARF President’s Friendship Challenge.
“The ARF President’s Friendship Challenge is a competition of four’s. The four team members comprising one team will be from different countries,” said Lee.
“It is an exciting competition and all the spectators will enjoy the two-day competition,” he added.
Meanwhile, Captain AR Arshad Technical Advisor at QSRF said the Asian Rowing Federation Coaches Conference will begin today in Doha.
“It is for the first time ARF is hosting the coach’s conference and Qatar will be hosting it. Coaches from 18 Asian countries taking part in the Asian Indoor Rowing Championship 2014 will be taking part besides five other countries, who are not participating in the Asian Indoor Rowing Championship, Bangladesh, Hong Kong, India, The Philippines and Sri Lanka are also taking part.
“Axel Muller Asensio from Germany and Chris Perry, Chair of ARF Competition Committee and FISA Development Consultant for Asia are the resourse persons for the Coaches Conference,” he added.
The Peninsula
