ISLAMIC SOLIDARITY GAMES – Bahrain enjoyed a golden day yesterday at the sixth Islamic Solidarity Games, with the kingdom’s delegation bagging a sensational five gold medals as part of a six-medal haul in athletics and Para athletics events in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Reigning Olympic champion and former world champion Winfred Yavi headlined the list of title winners, cruising to gold in the women’s 3,000 metres steeplechase.
Others to strike gold for Bahrain last night at Prince Faisal bin Fahd Sports City Stadium were Kemi Adekoya in the women’s 400m hurdles, Birhanu Balew in the men’s 10,000m, Edidiong Odiong in the women’s 100m, and Rooba Alomari in the women’s Para shot put F55/F56 category.
Bahrain also came away with a bronze medal yesterday, claimed by Mahmoud Abdelrahman in men’s shot put.
The fantastic haul yesterday brought the kingdom’s medal tally to 19 so far at the Saudi capital, including 10 gold, four silver, and five bronze.
In the women’s 3,000m steeplechase final, Yavi was in a class of her own, building a comfortable gap with her steady stride and running alone in front over the race’s closing stages.
Yavi appeared to barely break a sweat as she won in an unchallenged nine minutes 40.65 seconds.
Tugba Guvenc Yenigun from Türkiye was the silver-medallist in 9:57.05, while Ikram Ouaaziz from Morocco claimed bronze in 10:00.55.
Dilshoda Usmonova ranked fourth to complete the four-runner classification in 10:22.21.
In a great sign of sportsmanship, Yavi greeted her competitors as they crossed the finish line and gave each of them a congratulatory hug.
In the women’s 400m hurdles final, Adekoya won her gold in 56.33s.
She finished ahead of silver-medallist Mariam Kareem from the UAE, who clocked a mark of 57.42s, while Linda Christelle Ngouayaka from Cameroon took bronze in 58.24s.
Balew triumphed in an exciting finish in the men’s 10,000m final.
After a heated battle down the home straight with Uganda’s Samuel Simba Cherop, Balew did enough to pip his rival as they completed the gruelling 25-lap race virtually shoulder-to-shoulder.
Balew captured gold by just two-thousandths-of-a-second from Cherop, with Balew’s official race time being 29:06.58.
Abel Chebet, also from Uganda, came third in 29:07.63. Bahrain’s other participant in the race, Abdikani Hamid, was ranked sixth in 29:17.35.
In the women’s 100m final, Odiong stormed to first place in a time of 11.17s. She was followed by Kolle Etame Tonjock of Cameroon in 11.38s, while Keliza Ashley Smith from Guyana came third in 11.59s.
Alomari secured her gold in the women’s Para shot put F55/F56 category with a best effort of 7.39m. Her top mark came in her fifth and penultimate attempt.
Her other efforts were 7.12m, 7.03m, 7.21m, 6.78m, and 7.14m. Ogochukwu Modesta Ogili from Nigeria won silver at 7.35m, while Nadha Alhumaydani from Saudi claimed bronze at 6.13m.
In the men’s shot put final, Abdelrahman snatched his bronze medal with a best mark of 18.71m, which came on his third attempt.
Mohamed Magdi Khalifa from Egypt won gold at 19.39m, while Mohammadreza Tayebiseifkoti from Iran took silver at 19.35m.
Also in yesterday’s athletics events, Bahrain’s superstar sprinter Salwa Eid Naser powered through to the women’s 400m final after winning the first of two heats in 52.13s.
The Paris 2024 Olympics silver-medallist and former world champion’s time was the quickest of the opening stage.
She led seven others into the medal round, which will take place tonight at 9.30pm.
Bahrain’s Zenab Mahamat narrowly missed out on the final after finishing the second heat in sixth with a time of 53.85s, placing her 10th overall.
Today’s action on the track for Bahrain will be headlined by Yavi and Naser both returning to action.
Yavi is scheduled to run in the women’s 5,000m final, while Naser will be competing in her women’s 400m final.
The kingdom’s other athletes who will be going for gold tonight include Zouhair Aouad in the men’s 1,500m final and Nelly Jepkosgei in the women’s 800m final, among others.
patrick@gdnmedia.bh
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