Bahrain’s senior men’s handball national team were last night awarded their gold medals on the concluding night of the fourth GCC Games in Doha, Qatar.
The kingdom’s stars were not in action at Duhail Handball Hall after having completed their campaign on Thursday night with four wins from four outings.
But they were on hand for the awarding ceremonies, being joined on the podium by silver-medallists Qatar and bronze medal winners Saudi Arabia.
The Qataris finished as runners-up after defeating their Saudi counterparts 32-24 in last night’s lone contest, which brought the curtains down on this year’s GCC Games.
In attendance during last night’s men’s handball prize presentation was Bahrain Olympic Committee (BOC) board member and Bahrain Handball Federation president Ali Issa Ishaqi, Bahrain’s chef de mission and BOC Arab and international relations head Maryam Mardana, and other officials.
Bahrain senior men’s football national team superstar Ebrahim Luthfallah was also there to show his support for the senior men’s handball squad, which is coached by Swedish tactician Robert Hedin.
The kingdom’s delegation signed off from the multi-sport extravaganza at the Qatari capital with a sensational medal haul of 63 medals, including 25 gold, 22 silver, and 16 bronze medals.
Headlining their harvest were the gold medals of the senior men’s handball and volleyball national teams.
The kingdom’s athletics national team bagged the highest number of accolades for the Bahraini delegation.
They picked up 23 medals, including 12 gold, eight silver, and three bronze.
Bahrain’s swimmers came away with 13 medals from their men’s events, including five gold and four silver, and four bronze.
The shooters won 12 medals, including two gold, five silver, and five bronze, while Bahrain’s taekwondo jins claimed three medals, including two gold and one silver.
Bahrain’s 3x3 basketball national teams and boxers both had one gold and one silver apiece, while three bronze medals were claimed by Bahrain’s cueists in billiards and snooker.
The nationals also won one silver and one bronze in table tennis, along with a silver medal in fencing.
From Bahrain’s 63-medal haul, 29 were claimed by women’s athletes, including 14 of the gold medals, nine silver, and six bronze.
Their winnings marked a new record for gold medals for Bahrain from all four editions of the GCC Games.
In the previous event in 2022 held in Kuwait City, Kuwait, the nationals bagged a sensational 64 medals, including 20 gold medals, 23 silver, and 21 bronze.
In 2015 in Dammam in Saudi, they came away with 43 medals, including six gold, 21 silver, and 16 bronze; while in the inaugural GCC Games in 2011 at home, Bahrain came away with 19 medals, including eight gold, six silver, and five bronze.
Mardana extended her highest congratulations to the kingdom’s wise leadership on Bahrain’s success at this year’s GCC Games.
She stressed that their achievements were the fruit of the generous care and unwavering support the sports movement receives in the country.
Mardana praised the exceptional performances of Bahrain’s athletes and their dedication to their craft.
She commended their determination and perseverance to raise the kingdom’s flag high in a major sporting event.
Bahrain participated this year in Doha with a total of 219 delegation members, headlined by 146 athletes – 100 men and 46 women.
They competed in 16 sports – archery, athletics, 3x3 basketball, billiards, boxing, equestrian, fencing, handball, karate, padel, shooting, snooker, swimming, table tennis, taekwondo and volleyball.
patrick@gdnmedia.bh
&uuid=(email))