In a recent interview with the Qatar News Agency (QNA), Mohammed Saeed Al Misnad, Head of Mission of the Qatar Olympic Delegation, expressed the sporting goal of surpassing the three medals won in Tokyo 2020. This included two golds and a bronze, which was not only a remarkable achievement for the country, but also the best result for an Arab and Gulf nation at the Olympics.

This time around, there are more athletes than there were three years ago in Tokyo, increasing the chances of improving the medal tally. The fourteen athletes representing Qatar at Paris 2024 are:

Mutaz Essa Barshim, Abderrahman Samba, Abubaker Haydar, Bassem Hemeida, Ismail Dawood, Ammar Ismail, Saif Mohammed and Shahad Mohammed in track and field, Saeed Abu Sharab and Rashid Saleh AlAthba in shooting, Fares Ibrahim in weightlifting, Cherif Younousse and Ahmed Tijan in beach volleyball and Abdulaziz AlObaidly in swimming.

In the interview, Al Misnad focused on two fundamental aspects at this stage, just over a week before the Games. One is the administrative aspects, which are managed by the Qatar Olympic Committee (QOC). This includes all the logistics related to the athletes' travel and stay in the Olympic Village. Given the number of days involved, a range of services are required for the athletes and their support staff.

The other aspect is to ensure that the athletes arrive at the event in the best possible condition. This includes attending preparatory events and providing them with the necessary equipment and tools to create the best conditions. An example of this preparation is the participation of high jump champion Mutaz Barshim in Vienna, as highlighted by La Peninsula.

Training in conditions similar to those they will face in competition is crucial. That is why the Qatari committee wants Qatari athletes to complete their final preparations in Europe to get used to the environment. Elite athletes depend on many variables. These include routine, nutrition, rest and training environment. All these factors affect their mental strength during the crucial days of competition.

Al Misnad expressed his confidence in the delegation and considered it a privilege to be present at the final stage. Sport in Qatar has become a benchmark. The host city for the 2036 Olympic Games will probably not be announced until 2026 or 2027, but Doha has been in the spotlight for some time. After Paris in 2024, Los Angeles in 2028 and Brisbane in 2032, Qatar could be chosen. Doha would be the first city in the Middle East to host the Olympic Games after Seoul, Beijing and Tokyo.

Qatar has gained experience in hosting major events and maintaining good relations with international federations in recent years. These include the World Handball Championships in 2015, the World Cycling Championships in 2016, the World Gymnastics Championships in 2018, the World Athletics Championships in 2019, the Men's World Football Championships in 2022, the World Swimming Championships in 2024 and the future Men's Basketball World Championships in 2027.

It is perhaps because of this significant development the Qatar Olympic Committee is looking to improve its sporting performance. Paris 2024 is one of the stops on the journey.