Qatari high-jump champion Mutaz Barshim will make his Rio debut today, raising hopes that the country will finally win a medal during this year’s Olympics.

Barshim, 25 previously took bronze in the London Olympics four years ago, and gold at the 2014 World Indoor Championships.

The high jump qualifying rounds start at 7.30pm tonight Rio time (1:30am Qatar time), according to the online schedule.

Ahead of his inaugural Olympics jump, Barshim called for support in an Instagram post.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BJEodJFhBZI/

Also participating today will be Qatar’s equestrian team, which competes in the individual and team showjumping qualifying rounds from 4pm Qatar time.

The team, which includes Bassem Mohammed, Hamad Al-Attiyah, Ali Al-Rumaihi and Qatar’s flagbearer Sheikh Ali Al Thani, is the nation’s first to qualify for show jumping at the Olympics after a win in Abu Dhabi last year.

Medal hopes

The athletes are hopeful of breaking Qatar’s disappointing run so far, as the Olympics enter their ninth day.

The country has yet to take home any awards, despite fielding its largest team yet of 38 delegates – three times the size of the London contingent.

One of Qatar’s stars Nasser Al-Attiyah, who won the country’s second bronze in the 2012 London games, struggled during this year’s skeet shooting event.

He placed in 31st place out of 32 competitors in Rio yesterday.

Also yesterday, the men’s handball team narrowly lost to Denmark 26-25 in the qualifiers.

However, it has one more chance tomorrow when it takes on Argentina.

Tough luck to our Handball team! Cheer them on in their next match against Argentina on Monday! #YallaQatar pic.twitter.com/sftmknAwgR

— Team Qatar 🇶🇦 (@qatar_olympic) August 13, 2016

Meanwhile, runner Abdalelah Haroun made it through to the 400m semi-finals after finishing second in his heat with a time of 45.76 seconds.

However, he came in seventh overall in the semis earlier today, with a slightly slower time of 46.66.

And in weightlifting, Fares Ibrahim placed eight in the men’s 85kg category yesterday after lifting 158kg in snatch and 203kg in clean and jerk, giving him a total of 361kg, QNA said.

Iran’s Kianoush Rostami took gold at the event after lifting a total of 396kg, while the silver went to China’s Tian Tao, who lifted 395kg.

Squash champion

On the other side of the world, Qatar saw some sporting success.

This week, the nation’s Abdulla al Tamimi was named 2016 Australian Squash Open champion after beating his New Zealand rival.

Al Tamimi, 21, initially lost the first game of the final 6-11 against Campbell Grayson at Melbourne’s Sports and Aquatic Center this weekend

However, he recovered to win three games in a row 11-9, 11-7 and 11-5 to clinch the match and take the title.

Al Tamimi’s road to victory began earlier in the tournament with wins over Korea’s Daehoon Jeong and Mohd Syafiq Kamal from Malaysia. He later beat Harinder Pal Singh Sandhu and Joel Makin to make it to the final.

Seeded 46th in the world, this is the third world tour win for Al Tamimi, the Professional Squash Association (PSA) said.

Good luck Team Qatar! Thoughts?