Ayo Victor
Doha: Qatar’s national 3×3 basketball teams delivered outstanding performances at the 4th GCC Games Doha 2026, adding significant milestones to the nation’s growing sporting achievements. The men’s team secured the gold medal, while the women’s team claimed a historic bronze — their first-ever medal in the GCC Games.
The multi-sport event, hosted by Doha until May 22, brings together around 1,400 athletes from six Gulf nations competing in 17 different disciplines. The Games reflect Qatar’s advanced capabilities in organising major regional sporting events to the highest standards.
The 3×3 basketball tournament, held at Al Gharafa Hall, witnessed dominant displays by the Qatari men’s team. In a commanding final, Qatar defeated Bahrain 20–11 to claim gold. Their impressive run included convincing group-stage victories over the UAE (22–9), Bahrain (21–15), Kuwait (21–7), and Saudi Arabia (19–12), followed by a strong semifinal win against Saudi Arabia (21–11). Saudi Arabia went on to secure the bronze medal by defeating the UAE 13–9.
The medal ceremony was attended by Second Vice President of the Qatar Olympic Committee Dr. Thani bin Abdulrahman Al-Kuwari, and President of the Qatar Basketball Federation and Chair of the GCC Basketball Coordinating Committee, Mohammed bin Saad Al-Mughaseeb, Both officials honoured the teams in a vibrant celebration.
This latest success builds on Qatar’s recent triumph at the Asian Beach Games Sanya 2026, where the men’s team also won gold after defeating Thailand 21–10 in the final.
In the women’s competition, Qatar achieved a landmark victory by defeating Kuwait 11–9 in the third-place playoff to secure bronze. The team had shown strong form in the group stage with wins over Oman (15–10), Bahrain (21–15), and Kuwait (14–13), before narrowly losing to Saudi Arabia in the semifinal (11–18).
The women’s medal ceremony was graced by Vice President of the Saudi Olympic and Paralympic Committee, H H Prince Fahd bin Jalawi bin Abdulaziz bin Musaad, along with Al-Mughaseeb.
Al-Mughaseeb described the men’s gold and women’s bronze as a historic achievement that reflects the rapid progress of Qatari basketball at the national level. He highlighted the women’s bronze as particularly significant, being the first in the history of the GCC Games, and praised the impact of the federation’s development programmes and the expanding base of the sport in Qatar.
Secretary General of the Qatar Basketball Federation and Director of National Teams, Saadoun Sabah Al-Kuwari, commended the dual success as clear evidence of the federation’s robust technical framework. He credited the players’ discipline, commitment, and hard work during preparation. “The men’s team showed great competitive character to secure the gold medal, while the women’s team delivered outstanding performances that culminated in this historic milestone,” he said.
Captain Yaseen Ismail, Director of National 3×3 Teams, noted that the tournament clearly demonstrated tactical and technical improvement. He emphasised the resilience shown by both teams under pressure and their ability to perform in decisive moments. “This double success serves as strong motivation for the technical staff to further develop the squads as they prepare for upcoming regional and international challenges,” he added.
The strong showing by Qatar’s 3×3 teams at the ongoing Gulf Games underscores the continued growth and maturity of basketball in the country and reinforces Qatar’s position as a leading sporting nation in the region.
