Tribune News Network
Hangzhou
Qatar’s men’s skeet shooting team claimed a silver while Nasser Al Attiyah won a bronze in men’s individual skeet event as Team Qatar began its medal hunt at the 2022 Asian Games in Hangzhou on Wednesday.
At the shotgun ranges in Hangzhou on Wednesday, Qatar’s men’s skeet team comprising Nasser Saleh Al Attiyah, Rashid Saleh Al Athba and Masoud Saleh Al Athba shot a total of 359 points to finish behind China’s Han Xu, Liu Jiangchi and Wu Yunxuan (362). India’s Angad Bajwa, Gurjoat Singh and Anant Jeet Singh (355) finished third.
Later, Al Attiyah clinched bronze in the individual event as he shot 46 targets to finish behind Kuwait’s Abdullah Alrashidi (60) and India’s Anant Jeet Singh (58).
Al Attiyah had earlier won gold medals in the skeet team event at the 2022 Busan and 2010 Guangzhou Asian Games. Masoud won both individual and team skeet gold at the 2022 Busan Asian Games and was also a part of the gold medal-winning skeet team at Guangzhou.
The Qatar shooters’ feat was applauded by President of Qatar Olympic Committee HE Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani, who tweeted: "Congratulations to our shooting champions Nasser Al-Attiyah, Rashid Al-Athba and Masoud Al-Athba for capturing silver in team skeet at the Asian Games - Hangzhou 2022.. We also congratulate once again our hero @AlAttiyahN Bronze for singles in the game, and we wish our heroes and heroines in various competitions good luck and more brilliance and success..”
Rashid Al Athba stressed that winning the silver medal was wonderful because the competition was very strong. He thanks the almighty for the achievement and hoped that the win pleases Qatari fans.”This medal win will be an incentive for us before travelling to South Korea to participate in the qualifying rounds for the 2024 Paris Olympics,” he said.
Meanwhile, Al Attiyah after the medal presentation ceremony said that he was looking forward to achieving gold but he was completely satisfied with the bronze pointing to the strength of the competition.
Al Attiyah also said that his next goal will be to qualify for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games and that his success at the Hangzhou Asian Games acts as an incentive to achieve Olympics qualification. Al Attiyah had won a bronze at the London Olympics.
He attributed his Hangzhou medal win to the great support of officials of the Qatar Olympic Committee, indicating that the great interest in shooting and all sports will result in achievements at the continental and international levels and enhance Qatari Olympic aspirations.
Meshal Al Nasr, President of the Qatar Shooting Federation, while speaking to QNA said that he considered the Qatari shooting team’s winning of the silver medal as a sporting achievement of the nation.
Kuwait’s 60-year-old Abdullah Al Rashidi, who won the men’s skeet - his fourth Asian Games gold medal and Kuwait’s first gold medal here in Hangzhou, said: "I am happy to win a fourth gold medal because I am over 60 years old."Today I only missed one target from 110 targets. This happens when you play every day, you exercise, go swimming, and eat well.”