Archery | Team Qatar

Archery is one of the oldest sports in history, with origins tracing back to its use in hunting and warfare in ancient civilizations. It made its Olympic debut at the Paris 1900 Games and became one of the first Olympic sports to include women in 1904. After Antwerp 1920, archery was removed from the programme for 52 years before being reintroduced permanently at the Munich 1972 Games.

In 1992, the sport underwent a major transformation with the introduction of head-to-head match play to make competitions more dynamic and viewer-friendly. This innovation significantly boosted the sport’s appeal to spectators and television audiences alike.Today, modern Olympic archery features four events: individual and team competitions for both men and women. The team event was officially introduced at the Seoul 1988 Olympic Games. During competition, archers shoot at targets placed 70 meters away. Each target has a diameter of 1.22 meters and consists of ten concentric scoring rings.

In individual events, archers are ranked from 1 to 64 based on qualification scores and then face off in single-elimination matches. Each match consists of 12 arrows per archer, with the winner advancing to the next round. Team events follow a similar knockout format, with three archers representing each team.

Qatar Shooting & Archery Association

The Qatar Shooting & Archery Association was established in 1978 as the official body overseeing the development, regulation, and promotion of shooting and archery sports in the country. Operating under the Qatar Olympic Committee, the association works in alignment with the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) and World Archery, ensuring that its programs and competitions meet international standards.

The association manages a variety of shooting disciplines, including trap, skeet, 10m air rifle, 10m air pistol, and several archery categories. It runs year-round training programs through specialized national facilities like the Lusail Shooting Range, focusing on both grassroots development and elite athlete preparation.

Qatar has produced several standout athletes in recent years, including Mohammed Al-Rumaihi and Masoud Hamad, who have represented the country in multiple international competitions, including the Asian Games and Olympic qualifiers. Rising talents such as Khalid Al-Mudhaf and Rashid Saleh are also gaining attention on the Arab and Asian circuits.

On the hosting front, the association has successfully organized numerous regional and international tournaments, including the Asian Shooting Championships, Arab Archery and Shooting Cups, and ISSF World Cup stages, further cementing Qatar’s reputation as a leading destination for precision sports in the region.