Saudi Olympic hero Tarek Hamdi recalls golden year after success at Islamic Solidarity Games in Turkey

Tarek Hamdi claimed Karate gold for Saudi at the Islamic Solidarity Games in Turkey. (Supplied/SOPC)
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Updated 21 August 2022
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Saudi Olympic hero Tarek Hamdi recalls golden year after success at Islamic Solidarity Games in Turkey

  • The karate champion speaks exclusively to Arab News about his latest gold medal in Konya, his memorable performance at Tokyo 2020 and words of support from Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman

JEDDAH: Saudi Arabia’s Olympic hero Tarek Hamdi continues to make history.

Last week, the karate champion dominated a strong field to take gold in the 75 kg kumite competition at the fifth Islamic Solidarity Games in Konya, Turkey.

The triumph came almost exactly a year after his silver at Tokyo 2020, when he was only denied gold after a controversial disqualification in the final against Iran’s Sajjad Ganjzadeh.

Arab News met Hamdi to discuss his latest win and recall those memorable, career-defining days in Tokyo.

Congratulations Tarek, tell us about your achievement and the tournament in general.

Praise be to God, I achieved a gold medal at the Islamic Solidarity Games in Turkey. It is a great achievement, and I am certainly proud and honored to raise the flag of the Kingdom at this tournament, where I hadn’t won before.

This is the second time that I participated in the Islamic Solidarity Games. In 2017, I took part in Baku, Azerbaijan, but did not achieve any success, and this time I was determined  to win gold. I managed to win in the 84 kg weight division to complete the set of medals at the international competitions I’ve taken part in.

This tournament in general is a very difficult and tough one, especially in karate. We had a target of five golds across the weight categories, but we only achieved a gold and two bronzes. I congratulate my brothers Sultan Al-Zahrani and Saud Al-Bashir on their success, and wish the best of luck to Faraj Al-Nashiri and Fahd Al-Khathami in the future.

Our achievement came thanks to the hard work and teamwork from everyone at the training camps of the Saudi Karate Federation and the Saudi Olympic and Paralympic Committee, and we will continue, God willing, to pursue more triumphs.

A few days ago, it was the anniversary of your silver at the Tokyo Olympics. Tell us about the pre-tournament preparations.

To be honest, before the Olympics, I was nervous, not because of the tournament itself, but because after we had finished the pre-Games qualifying competition in Paris, I had not trained for almost a week or 10 days.

I was anxious, which is normal for any athlete. You’re eager to get back in action, especially when a big championship is so close. I said this to the coach, and he assured me: “Don’t worry, I’m sure in three or four days maximum you will be back in form.”

Ahead of the tournament, the coach, Mounir Afkir, and I had met to plan for the training camp for the Olympics. I told the coach that I will turn up and give everything I have in training. The rest, like exercise planning, schedules and scouting of opponents, I trust him with.




Saudi's Tarek Hamdi on his way to winning gold in Konya. (Supplied/SOPC)

Initially, our schedule consisted of two to three hours of physical exercise each morning, and then every two days would have two hours where we would analyze our nine opponents, studying their style, their strengths and weaknesses, and their game plans. We worked on solutions for all these things.

After that, we would go into the karate exercises for about two and a half to three hours. At the start of the camp, I was suffering from fatigue, frankly. I was training hard, and I kept telling myself that it will be worth it in the end, that any fatigue now will eventually be to my benefit. When I was tired, I would feel satisfied and my confidence would increase at the same time, and my focus was to achieve Olympic gold.

A week before traveling to Japan, coach Mounir told me: “I am seeing the gold medal.” I told him that I had been seeing the gold for a while and was confident in my abilities to achieve it, and that the coach’s words and trust had raised my confidence further to do so.

How did you feel the day before the start of your Olympic participation?

The night before the start of the Olympic karate competition on Aug. 6,  I could hardly sleep at all. I managed about two hours and I was so tired that I kept it a secret from the coach, and drank a lot of coffee in order to regain my energy. But I couldn’t and instead had a headache on the day of the matches. There were also suspicions that we had mixed with players who had tested positive (for COVID-19). The concerns proved unfounded but the situation had caused confusion for me, and we were isolated in a warm-up hall separate from other athletes. But we overcame this issue and the warm-up exercises were good and our confidence was high.

The group matches started uncomfortably, how did you feel at that point?

My first match was against a Croatian fighter (Ivan Kvesic), and when I got on the mat, I literally do not know what happened. Although I was not cautious in my approach, the result ended 2-1 in his favor. I couldn’t see properly, and after the fight my coach left me to my own thoughts. I felt really tired, but said to myself  “I did not come here to lose.”

I promised myself that I would return with the gold medal, and I turned this loss turned into a positive in my next match (a win against Brian Irr of the US).

Next, against the Iranian opponent (Ganjzadeh), the match ended in a draw. My Canadian opponent (Daniel Gaysinsky) was then eliminated and I qualified from my group in second place to face the Japanese (Ryutaro Araga) in the semifinals.




Supplied/SOPC

After qualifying from the group stages, what were your plans as a player and coach?

Before the semifinal, our game plan changed. We started planning for each opponent in different ways. Mounir kept saying that my strengths are my speed and my feet and I must take advantage of them. People were asking me if I was more relaxed now that I was guaranteed a medal, and my answer was “no.” When I fought Araga, I was telling myself, “I’m closer to my dream.” The focus was on reaching the final, and thank God I won and achieved that.

Tell us about the final.

The final match was completely different, I was in a strange state and I was very impulsive.

I started the match by scoring three points and then I scored another and I was leading 4-0. (Ganjzadeh) scored a point and it became 4-1.

Then came that kick, and the Iranian player fell — it did not even cross my mind that I would be disqualified. I was even signalling to my coach to try and calm me down because I was already so charged up.

The longer he stayed on the mat, I began to get nervous, but even after he was carried out on stretcher I did not think that I would be disqualified. I was thinking “this is my gold,” but when I saw the judges gather, I started to get pessimistic. I walked over to my coach and could see the look of concern on his face. The referees came back and took their decision to disqualify me.

I was not expecting this decision at all, and mentally I collapsed. My coach was distraught, my mother was distraught and so were the Saudi people. I walked off the arena and was in state of shock of course — the coach was talking to me but I wasn’t taking anything in.

I was walking and crying, and then I met the Minister of Sports Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki, and his deputy.

Prince Abdulaziz grabbed me and said: “Why are you crying? You achieved a great thing. Raise your head, the medal was taken from you.”




Supplied/SOPC

You then received a surprise call from Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. What did he say to you?

I was still sad and crying because of the loss of gold, but then Prince Abdulaziz hands me his phone and says “the crown prince wants to talk to you.”

I was not comprehending what was happening, and when I grabbed the phone, the crown prince said: “You’re a hero, congratulations. Keep your head high, you raised the flag of the Kingdom, you are the winner and you are the gold and you shouldn’t cry.”

He was very proud. I told him that I came to achieve the gold, and his response was, to the letter: “You did achieve gold.” I cannot describe how the words from the crown prince made me feel.

But those words are not a surprise from Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, and as athletes we are very fortunate to have him as our leader.

The moment of disqualification was awful, but everything that happened after that was beautiful. Had it not been for this scenario, maybe news of the event would not have spread so widely.

This moment has also place more responsibility on myself and my fellow athletes, and has raised expectations and ambitions. Our goal is to raise the flag of Saudi Arabia even higher at international competitions. As His Highness Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman said, “The sky is the limit for our ambitions.”

After returning home, there was a reception in your honor with the crown prince.

When we arrived in Jeddah, the reception was wonderful, very special and festive, which I was not expecting. There was big crowd in the arrival hall and I received a new award from the Ministry of Sports, which had been announced before the Olympics.

I was extremely excited to meet the Crown Prince. He said to me at the time that “you are golden in our eyes” and many other beautiful words. I thanked him for everything he has given us and promised that we will continue to aim for gold and to raise the Kingdom’s flag at every international meeting, God willing.

It was a beautiful meeting and I am very proud of it.

I was so happy to see my pictures in the streets and on posters, and my image was placed on the Kingdom Tower in Riyadh. The appreciation I received from the government and the people makes me so proud. It’s a great responsibility, and God willing, I am up to this responsibility.


Messi’s son debuts at Argentina youth tournament as grandparents watch

Updated 5 sec ago
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Messi’s son debuts at Argentina youth tournament as grandparents watch

  • The 12-year-old Messi played with the No. 10 jersey of an Inter Miami youth team
  • Thiago’s mother, Antonela Roccuzzo, and several members of his family, including grandparents Jorge Messi and Celia Cuccittini, were in the stands to watch him play

BUENOS AIRES: Thiago Messi, the eldest son of the Argentina star, has made his debut in the “Newell’s Cup” tournament in the countryside city of Rosario.

The 12-year-old Messi played with the No. 10 jersey of an Inter Miami youth team, which lost 1-0 on Monday to host Newell’s Old Boys in the traditional under-13 competition. The team also played Tuesday.

Lionel Messi took his first steps as a footballer in the Argentinian club in Rosario, 300 kilometers (186 miles) northwest of capital Buenos Aires.

Thiago’s mother, Antonela Roccuzzo, and several members of his family, including grandparents Jorge Messi and Celia Cuccittini, were in the stands to watch him play. Lionel Messi did not attend.

Thiago, who was substituted in the second half, played with his friend Benjamin Suarez, son of Uruguayan striker Luis Suarez, Messi’s teammate and close friend at Barcelona and now at Inter Miami.

Messi and Suarez are in Rosario after Inter Miami’s early elimination in the MLS playoffs. On Sunday, they watched a friendly game of Inter Miami’s U13 team against Union at the same sports complex.

The youth tournament in Argentina brings together eight teams from North and South America.


Salah ‘in a good place’ at Liverpool despite contract impasse, says Slot

Updated 2 min 39 sec ago
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Salah ‘in a good place’ at Liverpool despite contract impasse, says Slot

  • Slot: The only thing I can say is that if I look at my lineups, Mo is more in than out
  • The latest contracts of Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold are also due to expire at the end of this season

LIVERPOOL: Liverpool manager Arne Slot believes Mohamed Salah is “in a good place” and isn’t affected by his contract impasse with the club.

Salah’s latest deal expires at the end of this season and he told reporters after Liverpool’s 3-2 win at Southampton on Sunday that he was disappointed not to have received a new contract offer, saying: “I’m probably more out than in.”

The issue dominated Liverpool’s news conference ahead of Wednesday’s match against Real Madrid in the Champions League, with Slot keen to play down any friction with Salah — and even suggested the situation is making the winger play as well as ever.

“I don’t think it distracts Mo at all,” Slot said Tuesday. “Maybe it even brings the best out of him if you look at his performances until now.

“I talk to Mo about what I expect from him, like I do with all the other players, and he is in a good place at the moment. I’m not distracted by his comments and I don’t feel his teammates are.”

Salah has scored 12 goals in 18 appearances for Liverpool this season and is second in the Premier League with 10 goals in 12 games, only behind Manchester City’s Erling Haaland (12 goals).

Slot even quipped: “The only thing I can say is that if I look at my lineups, Mo is more in than out.”

The latest contracts of Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold are also due to expire at the end of this season.

“In fairness, it goes for all three of them — Mo, Virgil and Trent are all in similar positions,” Liverpool defender Andy Robertson said. “Every one of them is so focused on the next game and training and preparing properly.”


Giannis-less Bucks edge Heat, Rockets advance in NBA Cup

Updated 27 November 2024
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Giannis-less Bucks edge Heat, Rockets advance in NBA Cup

  • Lillard hit 10-of-17 from the floor and 8-of-13 from 3-point range while passing off 12 assists as the Bucks improved to 3-0 in group play
  • All 30 league clubs play for the NBA Cup in an in-season tournament with teams divided into six groups of five for round-robin play in hopes of advancing to December knockout rounds

WASHINGTON: Damian Lillard scored 37 points to lead Milwaukee to victory at Miami 106-103 in the NBA Cup on Tuesday despite playing without Giannis Antetokounmpo due to a knee injury.

Lillard hit 10-of-17 from the floor and 8-of-13 from 3-point range while passing off 12 assists as the Bucks improved to 3-0 in group play while the Heat slid to 1-2 and never led.

“It’s a game of runs. I got off to a hot start,” Lillard said. “I didn’t try to force the issue. I didn’t want to be passive. I tried to stay aggressive. I was getting the ball out. We just made good plays.”

All 30 league clubs play for the NBA Cup in an in-season tournament with teams divided into six groups of five for round-robin play in hopes of advancing to December knockout rounds with games also counting in the regular-season standings.

The Houston Rockets qualified for the quarter-finals but the surprise was in Miami, where Greek star Antetokounmpo was a late scratch with a left knee injury, leaving Lillard to take the scoring load.

A 26-9 Heat run to end the third quarter cut a 22-point Milwaukee lead to 85-80 entering the fourth and a 16-7 Miami run lifted the hosts level at 96-96 with 4:02 to play.

Milwaukee’s A.J. Green and Miami’s Terry Rozier traded 3-pointers late, the last by Rozier lifting the Heat within 104-103 with 30 seconds remaining.

Green sank another 3-pointer but it was launched just after a shot-clock violation and wiped out, giving Miami the ball with five seconds to play.

Miami’s Tyler Herro missed a 3-point shot and Milwaukee’s Taurean Prince sank two free throws with 1.2 seconds left, setting the stage for a Rozier 3-point miss at the buzzer.

“Guys made shots, played aggressive, we got some stops when we needed it, we made some free throws and that’s what it takes to win close games,” Lillard said.

“We’ve just had a lot of experience in these games where we have lulls in the second half and get into a dogfight. We let a few go early in the season... everybody wants to improve. We want to get right from the jump and I think we’re starting to show that down the stretch in these games.”

Jimmy Butler led Miami with 23 points.

Houston became the second team to clinch an NBA Cup quarterfinal berth, winning 115-111 in overtime at Minnesota to seal the West Group A crown. Golden State has already sealed the West Group C title.

Turkish center Alperen Sengun had a triple double with 22 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists to spark Houston, which got 27 points, 11 assists and eight rebounds from Fred VanVleet and 22 points from Dillon Brooks.

Reserve Amen Thompson’s basket with 38 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter lifted Houston level at 102-102.

Thompson sank a 3-pointer to ignite an 11-0 Houston overtime run as baskets by Jabari Smith, Brooks and two from Sengun brought the Rockets a 113-105 lead with 54 seconds remaining.

The Timberwolves, led by 29 points from Anthony Edwards, never got within four after that.

French star Victor Wembanyama scored 24 of his game-high 34 points in the first half to spark the San Antonio Spurs to a 128-115 victory at Utah, eliminating the Jazz’s title hopes.

Phoenix stars Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal returned from calf strains to spark the Suns over the defending NBA Cup champion Los Angeles Lakers 127-100.

Devin Booker had 26 points and 10 assists to lead the Suns while Beal and Durant each added 23 points in their comeback contests.

“Felt great,” Durant said. “We needed this win. Long as we continue to be healthy we’ll be fine.”

Anthony Davis led the Lakers with 25 points and 15 rebounds while LeBron James had 18 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds in the first Cup loss ever for the Lakers.

A 22-6 run gave the Suns a 98-78 lead entering the fourth quarter and the Lakers never threatened again.

Chicago’s Coby White scored 21 points and Nikola Vucevic added 19 points and 12 rebounds to power the Bulls over host Washington 127-108.


ICC to decide fate of Pakistan’s Champions Trophy on Friday

Updated 27 November 2024
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ICC to decide fate of Pakistan’s Champions Trophy on Friday

  • India has declined to play in Pakistan over security concerns, which the hosts have dismissed
  • Last year, when Pakistan hosted Asia Cup, India’s matches were played outside the country

KARACHI: The International Cricket Council (ICC) will meet this week to determine the destiny of next year’s Champions Trophy after India refused to play in host nation Pakistan, a spokesman said Tuesday.

Earlier this month, the ICC informed the Pakistan Cricket Board that India would not tour Pakistan for the eight-team tournament, leaving the fate of the event hanging in the balance.

The nuclear-armed neighbors have fought three wars since being carved out of the subcontinent’s partition in 1947 and that rivalry is often reflected on the cricket field.

A spokesman for the ICC based in Dubai told AFP they could “confirm an ICC meeting on Friday” where the issue will be on the agenda, without providing further details.

The PCB has already rejected proposals that would allow India to play in a neutral third country, insisting the full schedule from February 19 to March 9 must be staged on their turf.

India’s cricket board has not commented on the tournament.

Deteriorating political ties mean bitter rivals India and Pakistan have not played a bilateral cricket series for over a decade — squaring off only in ICC multi-nation events.

Pakistan suffered a years-long drought of matches at home as teams refused to visit after a 2009 attack on the Sri Lankan team bus in Lahore. International play only fully resumed in 2020.

When Pakistan hosted last year’s Asia Cup, India’s matches were played outside the country.

But Pakistani cricket chiefs have rejected security fears for the Champions Trophy, pointing to their recent successful hosting of top teams including Australia, England, and South Africa.

The Champions Trophy will be the first ICC event staged in Pakistan since it co-hosted the 1996 World Cup with India and Sri Lanka.


Lewandowski hits Champions League century as Barca beat Brest

Updated 27 November 2024
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Lewandowski hits Champions League century as Barca beat Brest

  • It made Lewandowski only the third player to reach that milestone in the competition, behind former Barcelona great Lionel Messi, on 129, and former Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo, with 140

BARCELONA: Robert Lewandowski scored his 100th Champions League goal as Barcelona beat Brest 3-0 to climb provisionally second in the Champions League group standings on Tuesday.
The veteran striker slotted home from the spot in the 10th minute to fire the Catalans ahead and reach his milestone, adding a second late on after Dani Olmo’s goal to inflict the French side’s first defeat.
After dropping points in their last two outings in La Liga, coach Hansi Flick had urged his players to “eliminate” mistakes in their game and Barca produced a solid display.
They got off the mark quickly when Brest goalkeeper Marco Bizot clumsily clattered into the back of Lewandowski after the forward controlled Pedri’s cross on his chest.
The striker dusted himself down and dispatched the penalty clinically to open the scoring after 10 minutes and bring up his century.
It made Lewandowski only the third player to reach that milestone in the competition, behind former Barcelona great Lionel Messi, on 129, and former Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo, with 140.
Under Flick, the forward’s form has improved significantly this season, reaching 22 goals in 19 appearances between La Liga and the Champions League.
The 36-year-old has made 125 Champions League appearances with Barcelona and before that German sides Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich.
“I am very happy, many years ago I did not think I could score more than 100 goals in the Champions League,” Lewandowski told Movistar.
“For me the most important thing is that we try to win every game, if I can score, then that’s the perfect solution.
“I don’t know how many games we have left before the end of the year but we have to win them all and rest over Christmas.”
Barcelona were still without teenage star Lamine Yamal, recovering from an ankle problem, but Raphinha was busy on the right and the Catalans dominated proceedings.
They did not create many clear chances though until Fermin Lopez forced a fine save from Bizot with a diving header.
The Dutch goalkeeper made amends for his earlier mistake by denying the Spaniard with his leg.
Lopez again came close early in the second half when Lewandowski put him in with a neat flick but Bizot was alert to save his low effort.
Playmaker Olmo had an effort scrambled off the line by Brendan Chardonnet as Barcelona sought to put the game to bed.
The former RB Leipzig midfielder eventually grabbed the second in the 66th minute when he received Gerard Martin’s pass in the box, showing some nifty footwork to dodge Chardonnet and beat Bizot at the near post.
Brest thumped RB Salzburg 4-0 and had dropped just two points from their first four matches despite sitting in mid-table in Ligue 1, but were brought down to earth at the Olympic Stadium.
Mathias Pereira Lage drilled home to momentarily delight nearly 3,000 traveling supporters but their joy was curtailed when the linesman raised his flag for offside.
Barca substitute Pablo Torre should have netted Barcelona’s third when he intercepted a pass with just the goalkeeper to beat, but fired wide.
Instead the job fell to Lewandowski and he rolled home his 101st Champions League goal with aplomb, beyond Bizot’s outstretched arm.
Brest fall a few places down the table but their strong start to the campaign means they are well placed to secure at least a play-off spot, while Barcelona are aiming to reach the last 16 directly.
Flick’s side travel to last season’s runners-up Borussia Dortmund next, before visiting Benfica and hosting Atalanta.