Doha, January 18 (QNA) - The Qatar Winter Sports delegation is participating in the Fourth Winter Youth Olympic Games, which begin Friday, in Gangwon Province, and continue until Feb.1, 2024. Three hundred and forty-eight male and female athletes from the Asian continent, representing 18 National Olympic Committees from the five geographical regions will compete in this tournament.
The Qatari delegation includes players Mohammed Hassan Al Naimi and Al Dana Ahmed Al Fahad in the curling category (mixed doubles). The delegation is headed by President of the Qatar Winter Sports Committee Rashid Majed Al Sulaiti and the Secretary General of the Qatari Winter Sports Committee Hassan Hissam Al Hebabi.
The Qatari stars had reserved their seats in the 2024 Gangwon Winter Youth Games after their outstanding results in the World Youth Curling Championship, which was held in the Finnish city of Lohja in December 2022, and obtaining the highest position in the West Asia region.
Asia's strong participation in ice and snow competitions in Gangwon will occur almost a year before the ninth Asian Winter Games, scheduled for February 2025 in Harbin, China.
The Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) organized the Asian Winter Games for the first time in 1986.
Gangwon hosted the fourth edition in 1999, and South Korea will be the first Asian country to host the Winter Youth Olympic Games. (QNA)