BAHRAIN were sizzling hot last night on an action-packed second day of competition in the third West Asian Athletics Championships, being held in Amman, Jordan.
The kingdom’s national team won a staggering 16 medals on the day alone, including eight gold medals, seven silver and one bronze medal, according to the Bahrain Athletics Association.
The Bahrainis added to their four-medal haul on opening night on Sunday, bringing their two-day tally to 20 medals in all, 10 of which are gold.
Claiming their respective West Asian titles yesterday were Salwa Eid Naser in the women’s 400m, Hajar Al Ameeri in the women’s 100m, Aminat Yusuf Jamal in the women’s 100m hurdles, Marta Hirpato in the women’s 800m, Noora Jassim in the women’s discus throw, Abbas Abubaker in the men’s 400m, Sadik Mikhou in the men’s 1,500m and John Kebet in the men’s 3,000m steeplechase.
Both Aminat and Noora were the sole Bahraini medal winners in their events. The other medals were won behind new Bahraini champions.
Eman Isa clinched the silver medal following Salwa in the women’ 400m, Edidiong Odiong won the women’s 100m silver behind Hajar and Tijest was the runner-up to Marta in the women’s 800m.
Amongst the men, Abdulrahman Khamis won a silver medal behind gold-medallist Abubaker, and Mohammed Ayoub Tiouali clinched the silver behind gold-medallist Mikhou.
Andrew Fisher also added a silver medal in the men’s 100m final, where countryman Saeed Al Ameeri finished third to come away with Bahrain’s only bronze medal for the day.
The medals won by Bahrain’s athletes on day two added to the two gold and two silver medals won on day one. The first two gold medals were claimed by Benson Seurei in the men’s 10,000m and Edao Bontu in the women’s 5,000m. The two silver medals were clinched by Dawit Fikadu behind Seurei and Kalkidan Gezahegne following Bontu. The Bahrainis hope to continue their winning ways tonight.
Bahrain are in Amman with a total of 36 athletes in various disciplines. There are a total of 26 events for both men and women at these championships, including the 100m, 200m, 400m, 800m, 1,500m, 3,000m steeplechase, 5,000m, 400m hurdles, triple jump, long jump, high jump (men only), discus throw (women only), 4x100m relay, 4x400m relay.
Bahrain’s elite international athletes are using these West Asian championships not only to achieve glory for Bahrain, but also to help prepare themselves for the upcoming 18th Asian Games taking place next month in Indonesia.
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