Doha College recently celebrated the 20th anniversary of its main sports hall. Originally opened in April 1998, by British MP Tony Banks, then Minister for Sport, the hall has since witness generations of students and thousands of matches and sporting events.

The hall hosts a staggering 200 fixtures every year, welcoming students from over 20 schools in Qatar, and often further afield. Over the years, the sports hall at Doha College has been graced with the presence of sporting legends who ran coaching sessions for the benefit of DC students. The list includes:

  • Elizabeth McColgan-Nuttall, MBE – a middle and long-distance runner who has won multiple medals at World Championships and global marathons, as well as silver at the 1988 Olympic Games (and won the Doha College 10K Race in 2016)
  • The Harlem Globetrotters – the world-famous exhibition basketball team
  • Dame Kelly Holmes – a middle-distance gold-medallist in the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens and medallist in multiple World Championships and Commonwealth Games appearances
  • Robbie Fowler – former professional footballer and manager who played as a striker for Liverpool FC and England.

The college lists many notable sports people among its alumni, including Tom Ayling – who represented Qatar in the 2016 regional Rugby tournament; Izzy Noel SmithEnglish rugby union player; Jakub Hrinda – the youngest golfer to compete in the Qatar Masters in his final weeks in Year 13 at DC; Laila Hrindova – currently on a golf scholarship at Baylors University, and most remarkably, Nada Arakji – an incredible swimmer and the first female to represent Qatar at the London 2012 Olympic Games. Nada Arakji unveiled the 20th anniversary commemorative plaque at the DC Sports Hall.

The ceremony was also attended by Head of PE, Gary Froud and DC Principal Dr Steffen Sommer. Doha College offers Physical Education for GCSE and A Levels, and in September 2017 introduced the BTEC Diploma in Sports Coaching.

Visit dohacollege.com to find out more about its sports education curriculum.