By Sports Reporter/Doha
The seventh edition of the Schools Olympic Program (SOP) under the theme of “Sport and Integrity” will stage its finals between today and tomorrow at Aspire Dome.
Over 300 children, from schools under the Supreme Education Council umbrella, are scheduled to participate across 28 finals for boys, and 30 for girls.
In order to reach the final stages, competitors had to pass two stages. For each event, the top 10 swimmers from each semi-final qualified.
Legendary swimmer, double Olympic gold medallist Oussama Mellouli, will be a special dignitary at the spectacle. He is expected to participate in the medal ceremonies for triumphant swimmers.
Khaleel al-Jabir, Director of the Sports Affairs Department at the Qatar Olympic Committee (QOC) and LOC Chief Executive Officer of the SWC Doha 2014, stressed that the SOP aims to “stimulate young people in Qatar to participate in sports activities and bring together Qatar’s best young school athletes”.
The SOP is just one of the many swimming events in Qatar in 2014. Later this year the Hamad Aquatic Center will play host to the FINA Swimming World Cup 2014 (25m) and the Swimming World Championships Doha 2014 (25m), which will be attended by the top swimmers from around the globe.
It will be the first time in history that the country will stage two high profile FINA events in the same year. Furthermore it is the goal of Qatar’s swimming authorities that one day those competing at the SOP will go on to be successful at such international events.
Oussama Meloulli
