(MENAFN- The Peninsula) The Peninsula
Ashgabat: Qatar, who have included key players Abdulrahman Mohamed Saad and Tanguy Alban Ngombo, will be hoping for a big confidence-boosting win tomorrow when they take on Samoa in their opening clash of the 3x3 basketball competition of the 5th Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games.
Qatar, along with Turkmenistan, Mongolia, Kyrgyzstan and Iraq are the favourites for the men's title at the September 17-27 Games which got underway in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan.
Qatar, who were 2014 FIBA World Cup winners, claimed silver at the Islamic Solidarity Games in May this year after edging past Turkmenistan in the semi-final in Baku, Azerbaijan. In June, the Qataris finished sixth at the FIBA 3x3 World Cup in Nantes, France.
Around 50 Qatari athletes are competing in a number of sports events including athletics, chess, billiard, swimming, weight lifting, equestrian, taekwondo, bowling and basketball.
A crowded arena in Ashgabat will become the stage of a fascinating competition when the 3x3 Basketball tournament raises its curtain today.
It is the third time 3x3 Basketball has appeared in the schedule of the Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games and a format that will become an Olympic sport at Tokyo 2020 is rapidly growing in popularity worldwide.
Sixteen teams in the men's tournament and 12 in the women's promise to offer spectacular action for spectators and make the competition the hottest ticket in town.
Turkmenistan are among the favourites to claim gold in both tournaments but will not find it easy.
Indonesia, Syria and the Islamic Republic of Iran will vie for glory in the women's competitions.
Mongolia's men won the chance to participate in the 2017 FIBA World Tour by qualifying through the challenger in Chinese Taipei.
Iraq have strong players with international experience in 5x5 Basketball but they lack 3x3 experience.
Aleksandr Paskov of Turkmenistan, Tsenguunbayar Gotov of Mongolia and Dulguun Enkhbat of Mongolia are also among the men to watch.
Turkmenistan, 21st in the FIBA ratings, are the highest-ranked team in the women's competition.
At the Islamic Solidarity Games this year, they downed a powerful Syria team after overtime in the quarter-final thanks to a free throw scored by Ayna Gokowa of Turkmenistan.
Gokowa, Alicia Magarian of Syria and Lea Elvensia Wolobubo Kahol of Indonesia are among the players to watch. The latter led Indonesia to gold-medal success at the U-18 Asia Cup in May and was named best player of the tournament in Malaysia.
Earlier on Sunday night, H E Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani, the President of Qatar Olympic Committee (QOC) attended the opening ceremony of the prestigious event. The event on Sunday saw a colourful opening ceremony unfolding the country's high organisational abilities in hosting major sport events and reflecting its rich culture and history.
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