Doha World Championships Notebook - Day Two

Officials look at results during the 2019 IAAF World Athletics Championships at the Khalifa International stadium in Doha on September 28, 2019. PHOTO | ANTONIN THUILLIER |

What you need to know:

  • Qataris have thrown their weight behind the government and are gladly suffering the blockade while quietly making arrangements to find permanent solutions.

Sheikh is all over!

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Pictures of Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, the Emir of Qatar, are a common sight in public places, in government offices and on both personal and public service vehicles in Qatar.

The behaviour is informed by the desire by Qataris to publicly support and identify with the emir in June 2017 when the Qatar diplomatic crisis began. Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Egypt, among others, severed diplomatic relations with Qatar and banned Qatari airplanes and ships from utilising their airspace and sea routes along with Saudi Arabia blocking the only land crossing.

Qataris have thrown their weight behind the government and are gladly suffering the blockade while quietly making arrangements to find permanent solutions.

Currency

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Qatar uses currency known as Qatari riyal. One Riyal is equal to Sh30, and Forex Bureaux are strictly regulated by the government to avoid greedy businessmen preying on gullible visitors and tourists.

Once one arrives at Prince Hamad International Airport which is Qatar's gateway to the world, one can easily convert currency, but at a lower rate of Sh23 for every Riyal.

Generally, Qatari businesspeople are honest and will gladly return any extra money handed to them or change. They don't believe in reaping where they did not sow.

Media Centre

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The Media Centre for the 2019 World Athletics Championships is situated just outside the Khalifa International Stadium. In actual sense, an indoor arena which hosts basketball and volleyball matches (the equivalent of Kasarani Indoor Arena) has been converted into a media centre for the duration of the championships.

The idea is to give journalists drawn from all over the world a chance to get race results without delay to enable them send stories to their media houses.

The media centre is open round the clock, and journalists can often be seen shuttling between the stadium and the media centre, sheets of paper in hand.

Kenyans in the house

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Kenyans staying in Qatar have turned out in large numbers to watch athletics races at Khalifa International Stadium. Women's 3000 metres steeplechase race, men's 800m races and women's marathon race have attracted a high number of Kenyans in Doha.

During the women's marathon race held on Friday and won by Ruth Chepng'etich, Kenyans who either travelled from home to watch races here, or those working in Doha gathered on roadsides to watch their world-beating stars in action. At the airport, banks and hotels, Kenyans are a common sight. They will quickly pick you out from the crowd and greet you in Swahili or sheng.