ASPIRE, the Doha based Academy for Sports Excellence is celebrating a notable international success after one of its squash students, Abdullah Al Tamimi, won the Under-13 section of the Arab Championships, in the process becoming the first Qatari national to take top honours at the event.
Al Tamimi came from 3/7 down in the opening game of the final, held in Kuwait, to win 9/7, before completing the final as a comprehensive and deserved winner, 9/7, 9/4, 9/5.
Forced to work hard for his victory, on route to the final Al Tamimi had to contend with a highly fancied Egyptian player as well as both Kuwait’s number two and number one ranked players.
ASPIRE’s Head Squash Coach, former world champion Geoff Hunt, pointed to the fact that even against such tough opposition, not dropping a single game in the whole tournament was testament to the youngster’s “fantastic powers of concentration and focus.”
Al Tamimi’s father was in the stands to watch his son claim the Arab Championship title; and had double reason to feel proud as Abdullah’s brother, Ahmed, another talented ASPIRE squash player, made the semi-finals of his draw in the Under-15 age group.
Two other ASPIRE students, Khalid Al Hindawi and Mubarak Al Qashoti, finished their own tournaments in 5th and 7th respectively. Both were very competitive and played some of their best squash this year according to their coach.
“I was very proud of all the boys’ performances,” said Hunt, “and in particular that of Abdullah.”
“I think many of the observers from other Arab countries were surprised by the high standard of Abdullah’s play and the almost ruthless way he won the event.”
The dedicated squash program run by ASPIRE, an Academy with a holistic approach to training tomorrow’s sporting champions achieved through a comprehensive sporting, academic and social learning environment, works in close cooperation with the Qatar Squash Federation and they shared in the savouring the success.
The Federation’s General Secretary, Khalid Al Obaidi, identified Abdullah as already a major talent and predicted a bright future for him in the sport.
“The collaboration between ASPIRE and the Federation is a strong and productive one,” he said. “The wonderful facilities available at the Academy and the opportunities that are presented to the players, such as the overseas camps and training, have clearly helped Abdullah to excel in the game.
“We would like to thank all the staff and officials that are supporting the Federation in its work. It is clear to everyone that the future of Qatari squash is built on very strong foundations.”
Picture caption: Courting success: Abdullah Al Tamimi proudly shows off his Winner’s Trophy for the Under-13 individual event
About ASPIRE
ASPIRE, the Academy for Sports Excellence, Doha, was created with the dual aims of identifying and transforming promising student athletes into world renowned champions across a wide range of sports and to act as a beacon to draw sporting culture into the centre of life in Qatar and the surrounding region.
The Academy is distinguished by a philosophy which aims to develop the whole student, providing them with full academic, social and sporting development.
Unrivalled facilities mark the Academy out as one of the world’s foremost sporting and educational institutions, and entice an ever increasing number of visitors from across the spectrum of world sports to use or simply view them. These same facilities will also play host to events during the forthcoming Asian Games 2006.
With one indoor and seven outdoor football pitches, athletics tracks, an Olympic-sized swimming pool, diving pool, combat arenas, gymnastics arena, specially designed weight rooms, lecture halls, dormitories to accommodate what will eventually become 1,000 students, a medical centre and more besides, much beneath the world’s largest purpose built indoor sports dome, every aspect of the development of elite athletes is catered for. ASPIRE is a place for those who dare to dream.
ASPIRE TODAY, INSPIRE TOMORROW
www.aspire.qa
