BAHRAIN bagged two gold medals last night to headline a sensational six-medal haul on the opening day of competition at the fourth GCC Games in Doha, Qatar.
Fatema Kalawadh and Muath Ebrahim were the kingdom’s two gold-medallists yesterday, both of whom were competing in the sport of taekwondo.
The Bahrainis’ four other medals also came in taekwondo as well as in swimming.
Abdulla Alhiddi was Bahrain’s third taekwondo jin to climb the podium as a silver-medallist, while swimmers Robert Bonsall and Saud Ghali both captured silver medals and Mikhail Arkhangelskiy came away with a bronze.
Taekwondo and swimming were two of the five sports featuring the kingdom’s athletes yesterday as action got underway in this year’s highly anticipated GCC Games. The others were 3x3 basketball, table tennis, and billiards.
Kalawadh secured her gold medal in the women’s under-49kg weight division after defeating Rahmah Alkhawahr of Saudi Arabia in their final, held at Aspire Dome in the Qatari capital.
Kalawadh had earlier beaten Umaima Al Hinai of Oman in the semis, while Alkhawahr defeated the UAE’s Shouq Alhammadi. Al Hinai and Alhammadi joined them on the podium as joint bronze-medallists.
On the distaff, Ebrahim secured his title in the men’s under-58kg class. He struck gold after overcoming Riad Hamdi of Saudi in their final. Ebrahim earlier defeated Nibras Al Tooqi of Oman in the last four, where Hamdi was a winner against Qatar’s Hassan Al Nuaimi. Al Tooqi and Al Nuaimi shared the bronze medals.
Alhiddi came away with his silver medal in the men’s under-80kg category. He lost to Saudi’s Tareg Hamedi in their title clash. In the semi-finals, Alhiddi was triumphant against Mohammad Shalan of Qatar, while Hamedi beat Abdulwahab Buti of Kuwait. Earlier in the quarters, Alhiddi won his opening contest against Abdulla Ghloum of the UAE. Shalan and Buti each came away with a bronze medal.
In attendance during the taekwondo awarding ceremonies yesterday was Bahrain’s chef de mission in Doha and Bahrain Olympic Committee Arab and international relations head Maryam Mardana.
Meanwhile, at Doha’s Hamad Aquatics Centre, Bonsall claimed his silver medal in the men’s 800 metres freestyle while Ghali was runner-up in the men’s 200m individual medley. Arkhangelskiy completed the swimmers’ haul on the first day in the pool with bronze in the men’s 50m freestyle.
Bonsall completed his 800m race in a total time of eight minutes 14.21 seconds, finishing behind gold-medallist Saadeddin Saadeddin of Qatar, who triumphed in 7:57.54. Saud Alshamroukh of Kuwait captured bronze in 8:39.42.
Ghali climbed the podium after finishing his event in 2:09.77. He ranked behind Qatar’s Mohamed Mohamed, who triumphed in 2:03.02, while Khaled Alotaibi of Kuwait was the bronze-medallist in 2:10.47.
Arkhangelskiy took home his 50m freestyle bronze medal after clocking a mark of 22.85 seconds in his swim. Emad Addin Zaben of Saudi captured gold in 22.64s, while Ali Tamer Hassan of Qatar secured the silver medal in 22.69s.
The swimming events in Doha continue until Saturday. Today, Bonsall, Ghali, Arkhangelskiy, and a number of Bahrain’s other swimmers will be back in the water looking to add to the kingdom’s winnings.
Bonsall will be competing in the men’s 400m freestyle along with Sayed Ahmed Alawi, Ghali will be joined by Abdulla Jamal in the men’s 50m breaststroke, Jamal is entered in the men’s 100m freestyle, Ahmed Theibich and Ahmed Helal will be swimming in the men’s 200m backstroke, and Bahrain will be going up against Saudi, Kuwait, and hosts Qatar in the men’s 400m freestyle relay.
Also today, Bahraini athletes will also be going for gold in equestrian and fencing while the kingdom’s boxers will also get their campaigns underway.
patrick@gdnmedia.bh
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