Qatari swimmers ready forDOHA: Qatari swimmers will benefit immensely by taking part in the two-day 2013 FINA World Cup series leg to be held at Hamad Aquatic Centre, a top official said yesterday.
Khalil Al Jabir, (pictured) President of Qatar Swimming Association (QSA), said: “Qatari swimmers have all to gain from this top event. They have done remarkably well in the last few months. This event will give them another chance to compete with the best and learn from the best.”
Al Jabir pointed out that more than 200 swimmers from 46 countries are taking part in what will be the fifth stop on the FINA World Cup series.
The FINA family has already completed events in Eindhoven in August before moving to Berlin, Moscow and Dubai.
After the Doha leg, the FINA family will move to Singapore and Tokyo before winding up the 2013 season in Beijing.
“We are in no hurry to target medals. Most of our young swimmers are in the under-15 bracket. We want them to learn by competing against the best,” Al Jabir said.
South Africa’s Chad le Clos and Hungary’s world champion swimmer Katinka Hosszu will be seen in action over the next two days starting today.
“Let me tell you that our swimmers picked up 16 medals at the Arab Swimming Championships held in Jordan. We can see the potential in our young athletes,” Al Jabir said.
“We are building this team of swimmers for bigger things. This will take time but we are working to a plan,” he added without elaborating.
“We will have a nine-member squad at the Doha event.
“This will be a good experience for them once again. We will have swimmers from all sports clubs (in Doha) at Hamad Aquatic Centre.
“We want our young swimmers to learn by watching and talking to the top names in swimming. Our club coaches will also be attendance,” Al Jabir said. “We are totally focused on our swimmers so that they are trained the right away,” he said.
When asked about Qatar’s top female swimmer Nada Al Kharji, Al Jabir said the 18-year-old is down with an injury.
He said her participation in the two-day event would be confirmed only after the medical staff with the Qatari squad gives her the green signal.
Al Jabir said QSA is using the event to showcase its organisational skills ahead of next year’s World Championships (short distance) to be held at the same venue.
“The entire FINA family is here. We will be having meetings with them. We did a great job last year. We are very confident this event would be better than last year,” Al Jabir said.
“Having said that, we would be paying close attention to what the FINA says. If there’s a weakness we have, we will waste no time to get rid of it,” he said.
THE PENINSULA their turn at key event
