Ceramica Go Third as Ittihad, Arab Contractors Claim First Wins

Ceramica recorded their second consecutive Premier League victory, while Ittihad and Arab Contractors secured their first wins of the season.

Sodiq Awujoola gave Ceramica an early lead at Suez Canal Authority Stadium after Modern Sport lost possession near their penalty area. newsbetting.club

Mohamed El-Halawany’s misplaced pass allowed Ahmed Belhadji to win the ball and release Awujoola, who finished the move in the seventh minute.

Modern Sport attempted to respond, but Ceramica goalkeeper Mohamed Bassam protected his side’s advantage before half-time.

Belhadji then doubled Ceramica’s lead in the 64th minute, converting after Walid Mostafa’s attempted clearance fell into his path. Ceramica nearly added a third when Marwan Osman headed narrowly wide with 17 minutes remaining.

The result followed Ceramica’s 3-1 victory over Ittihad Alexandria in Gameweek Two. They have now scored five unanswered goals since losing their opening match against Canal SC.

Modern Sport dropped to 10th with four points after suffering their first defeat of the campaign.

Ittihad Alexandria Record First Victory

Ittihad Alexandria moved to four points after overcoming newly promoted Abu Qir Fertilizers at Alexandria Stadium. The hosts had to wait until the 68th minute for their breakthrough. Hossam Hassan collected the ball inside the penalty area and found the bottom corner with a left-footed finish.

Abu Qir pushed forward in search of an equaliser, leaving space for Ittihad to exploit during stoppage time. Isaac Saviour completed the 2-0 victory in the 96th minute, securing Hamza El-Gamal’s first league win as Ittihad coach.

Ittihad had started the season with a goalless draw against Zamalek before losing 3-1 to Ceramica. They climbed to ninth, while Abu Qir remained 13th with three points.

Arab Contractors Earn First Points

Mostafa Gamal’s penalty gave Arab Contractors a 1-0 away victory over El Gouna at Khaled Beshara Stadium. The midfielder converted from the spot in the 44th minute to put the visitors ahead shortly before half-time.

El Gouna applied pressure after the break, but the Arab Contractors defence protected its first clean sheet of the season.

The victory lifted Arab Contractors to 12th with three points following two opening defeats. El Gouna remained 15th with two points and are still searching for their first win.

Pyramids continue to lead the Premier League table with nine points from three matches, two ahead of second-placed Zamalek.

Ceramica sit third with six points, ahead of Al Ahly on goals scored. The Red Devils, however, have played only twice and can draw level with Pyramids when they host Smouha in the final Gameweek Three fixture on Thursday.

Al Masry and Tala’ea El Gaish also have six points, while Wadi Degla and Al Qanah follow with five each.

KingFut reported on Tuesday that Ghazl El Mahalla and El Sharkia ENPPI collected their first points in a goalless draw. ZED defeated Tala’ea El Gaish 1-0, while Wadi Degla and Al Qanah also drew 0-0.

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Doha, Qatar: Aspire Academy brought together fencers from six nations for a training camp ahead of the upcoming season.

Fencers from the Netherlands, Greece, Argentina, Malaysia, Thailand and Saudi Arabia joined local Qatari fencers alongside Aspire Academy student-athletes and graduates.

Among the 66 fencers who gathered were Saudi Arabia’s Khalifah Al-Omairi, who won bronze in the epee at the recent World Championships in Hong Kong, and Dutch athlete Tristan Tulen, who has competed at the Olympics and won the Doha Grand Prix in January.

The week-long training camp featured 12 sessions totalling 36 hours, overseen by 16 coaches from both Aspire Academy and overseas. It included work on footwork, technical skills, as well as strength and conditioning.

In addition to the coaching sessions, several social activities were organised for the visitors, including a meal at Souq Waqif, a trip to the cinema, and badminton and swimming sessions.

Senior Fencing Coach for epee at Aspire Academy, Hugo Dergal, said there had been very positive feedback from the visiting fencers and coaches as well as the local athletes.

“We are delighted that they have been able to enjoy the Aspire Academy facilities: from our fencing hall to our gyms for physical preparation and the recovery centre,” he said.

“My hope is that we can build on this camp, make it bigger, and invite more fencers from not just the Middle East but from around the globe.” He added that the Aspire Academy student-athletes have learnt many valuable lessons from the training camp. “During the training sessions, the professionals are very disciplined and always engaged; this is an area our student-athletes can learn from,” he explained. “Even if we are tired, even if it’s a long session, we need to keep our focus and maintain that discipline, as that will help us in competition.”

Dutch fencer Tristan Tulen was impressed with the potential of the Aspire Academy fencers. “I was really happy to accept the invite, especially because the Aspire facilities are really first-class, so I accepted without hesitation,” he said.

“They’re (Aspire Academy fencers) very professional in many ways at such a young age. So I think they have strong potential to develop into international players in the future.” “They have the same personality as me; I also get flared up when I lose a match, and I use it to evaluate what I have done and use it as motivation for my next encounter. I would encourage them to do the same.”

Selectorised vs plate-loaded strength machines is one of the most consequential equipment decisions a commercial gym owner in Doha makes, since it directly shapes your budget, your floor layout, and which type of member your facility ultimately attracts. This guide breaks down the real differences, the trade-offs for a Qatar gym floor specifically, and how to decide the right balance between the two.

Understanding the Core Difference

Before comparing costs and use cases, it helps to understand exactly what separates these two equipment categories. In the selectorised vs plate-loaded strength machines decision, the mechanism itself is the starting point.

Selectorised machines use a pin-and-weight-stack system — members adjust resistance by moving a pin up or down a built-in stack of weight plates. This design guides users through a fixed, defined movement path, making it intuitive and safe for beginners with minimal instruction needed.

Plate-loaded machines require members to manually load and remove standard weight plates onto the machine’s carriage, similar to loading a barbell. This offers greater resistance flexibility, often allowing heavier loads than a fixed weight stack, and tends to more closely mimic natural, functional movement patterns.

Cost Comparison for Gym Owners

Plate-loaded equipment is generally the more cost-effective option upfront. Since these machines use standard weight plates that can be shared across multiple stations, gym owners don’t need to purchase a dedicated internal weight stack for each machine — a real space and cost advantage when equipping a full strength zone.

Selectorised equipment typically carries a higher per-unit cost due to the internal weight stack mechanism and pulley system built into each machine, but this cost comes with lower ongoing friction for members, since no plate-swapping is required between sets.

Maintenance and Durability Considerations

Maintenance requirements differ noticeably between the two categories, and this matters significantly for gym owners planning long-term operating costs.

Plate-loaded machines generally require less maintenance overall, since they lack the pulleys and internal weight stacks that are the most common failure points on selectorised equipment. Fewer moving parts translates into fewer service calls over the equipment’s lifespan.

Selectorised machines, while more mechanically complex, are engineered for heavy daily commercial use when sourced from reputable manufacturers, and the pin-and-stack mechanism remains reliable with routine cable and pulley inspection.

Member Experience: Who Uses What

Understanding your membership base is essential to getting the selectorised vs plate-loaded strength machines balance right on your gym floor.

Selectorised machines suit:

• Beginners and members new to strength training who benefit from guided, fixed movement paths
• Members prioritizing quick, efficient workouts without the extra step of loading plates
• Hotel and corporate gyms serving guests or employees unfamiliar with free-weight training

Plate-loaded machines suit:

• Experienced lifters seeking greater resistance flexibility and more natural movement patterns
• Performance-oriented facilities aiming to elevate perceived training quality among serious members
• Gyms with members who train heavier loads than typical weight stacks accommodate

Space Planning: Making the Most of Your Gym Floor

Floor space efficiency is a genuine consideration in the selectorised vs plate-loaded strength machines decision, particularly for gyms working with limited square footage.

Since plate-loaded machines share a common pool of weight plates across multiple stations, gym owners can often fit more plate-loaded stations into the same footprint compared to selectorised machines, which each require their own internal, space-consuming weight stack. For Doha gyms working with premium retail or commercial space, this space efficiency can translate into a genuinely meaningful cost advantage.

Building a Balanced Strength Zone

Rather than choosing one category exclusively, most successful commercial gyms in Qatar build a balanced strength zone incorporating both machine types, matched to their specific membership profile:

1. Start with your member base. A general commercial gym serving a broad membership benefits from a mix — selectorised machines for beginners and general members, plate-loaded stations for the performance-oriented segment.
   
2. Consider your facility type. Hotel and corporate gyms, where guests or employees may be unfamiliar with free-weight or plate-loaded training, typically lean more heavily selectorised. Performance-focused or CrossFit-style facilities lean more heavily plate-loaded.
   
3. Factor in floor space realistically. If square footage is limited, plate-loaded’s space efficiency may tip the balance, particularly for smaller boutique studios.
   
4. Plan for member progression. New members often start on selectorised machines before progressing to plate-loaded equipment as their confidence and strength develop — building a facility that supports this progression path improves long-term member retention.
   

Brands and Sourcing for Qatar Gyms

Whichever balance you choose, sourcing genuine, commercial-grade equipment matters as much as the category decision itself. Authorized distribution ensures manufacturer-backed warranties and long-term reliability under heavy daily use — a critical factor for Doha’s competitive commercial fitness market, where equipment downtime directly affects member satisfaction and retention.

The Bottom Line

There’s no universally correct answer in the selectorised vs plate-loaded strength machines decision — the right balance depends on your specific membership profile, available floor space, and budget. Most well-designed commercial gyms in Qatar incorporate both, using selectorised machines to welcome beginners and plate-loaded equipment to serve and retain more experienced, performance-oriented members.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1: Which is cheaper for a new gym — selectorised or plate-loaded equipment? Plate-loaded equipment is generally more cost-effective upfront, since weight plates can be shared across multiple stations rather than each machine needing its own internal weight stack.

Q2: Which type of strength machine is better for beginners? Selectorised machines are generally better suited to beginners, since the pin-and-stack system guides users through a fixed, safe movement path with minimal instruction needed.

Q3: Do plate-loaded machines require more maintenance than selectorised machines? Generally no — plate-loaded machines typically require less maintenance, since they lack the pulleys and internal weight stacks that are the most common failure points on selectorised equipment.

Q4: Should a new commercial gym in Doha choose one type exclusively? Most successful commercial gyms incorporate both types, balancing selectorised machines for beginners and general members with plate-loaded equipment for more experienced, performance-focused members.

Q5: Which option saves more floor space? Plate-loaded machines are generally more space-efficient, since a shared pool of weight plates can serve multiple stations, unlike selectorised machines which each require their own dedicated weight stack.

Ready to plan the right strength equipment mix for your gym floor? Explore our commercial plate-loaded equipment range or browse our full commercial gym equipment collection with Sports Village Qatar — trusted since 2006.

Get a Free Consultation →

Sports Village Qatar +974 4450 1166 | [email protected] Building No 86, Street 340, Zone 39, Near Jarir Book Store, Ramada Signal, Salwa Road, Doha, Qatar

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