23 Feb 2025
Aspire Academy successfully hosted its first-ever Pole Vault Festival to boost the discipline's profile and the development of athletics in Qatar. The groundbreaking event, held at the Academy’s indoor athletics track, brought together 47 young athletes from the Academy and clubs around Qatar in an inspiring showcase of emerging talent.
The festival proved to be a huge success, with several new personal bests set during the intense competition for boys and girls in various age groups (under-12, under-14, under-16, and under-18). Among the highlights was 16-year-old Aspire Academy student-athlete Younes Al-Balushi, in the under-18 category, clearing 4.70m to increase his personal best by 5cm. In the under-16s, there were also personal bests for student-athletes Malik Hamdan, Eyad Shelebi, and Mouez Elzaafarani.
The event demonstrated the Aspire Academy's development programme for athletics, its commitment to nurturing young talent across a wide variety of sports, and its efforts to establish a prestigious annual competition for the region.
Peter Skoumal, Senior Athletics Coach at Aspire Academy, commented on the event: "Our goal is to bring together young athletes from across Qatar, and we are thrilled to have so many participants. This event provides them with a valuable opportunity to compete in a structured and professional setting, helping them gain experience and confidence as they develop their pole vaulting skills."
Aspire Academy has a proven track record in developing young pole vault talent, thanks to a dedicated programme led by coaches Jaco Van Vuuren and Adel Mouehli. The programme has been in place for the last 3.5 years.
Van Vuuren, Pole Vault Coach at Aspire Academy, expressed his excitement about the event: "The development of pole vault in Qatar has been a gradual but exciting journey, and today, we have a structured program with multiple development levels that produces national record-breaking performances. Aspire Academy has played a crucial role in recognising the need to nurture this sport, and our efforts are now paying off. Our ultimate goal is to inspire more young Qataris to take up the sport, and with the emerging talent we see today in the festival, the future looks promising. We already have young athletes stepping up, showing great potential, and positioning themselves as future champions."
Current Qatar national record-holder student-athlete Seif Hemeida, who is set to graduate this year, was also on hand to watch the action: “The festival showcases the remarkable talent of young athletes, highlighting the sport's growing development, particularly in Qatar. With Gulf and Arab nations proving their ability to compete at the highest levels, hosting high-quality events like this one is essential for nurturing future champions. The organisation rivals global standards, and the young participants have a promising future if they remain dedicated and committed to their growth.”
He started in the highly technical event with Aspire Academy coach Jaco Van Vuuren before continuing his development with Qatar Athletics Federation coach Pawel Szczyrba. Hemeida jumped 5.55m last February as an 18-year-old, so his mark is the national under-20 and senior record. A leap of 5.20m in 2022 means he is also the Qatar under-18 record holder. Four younger Aspire Academy student-athletes have followed in his footsteps, clearing 4.00m, which is seen as a benchmark height for young pole vaulters.
The success of this inaugural Pole-Vaulting Festival reinforces Aspire Academy's position as a leading institution in sports excellence and its dedication to creating transformative experiences for young athletes.