Saudi Games update: medals in fencing, karting, women’s futsal

MS Stable team secured the gold medal, followed by Al-Shoumough with silver, and Al-Khayyala team with bronze.
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Updated 06 November 2022
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Saudi Games update: medals in fencing, karting, women’s futsal

  • The crowds of SAOC Complex were in for an amazing show as they attended the men’s volleyball finals
  • The KSU Arena hosted the men’s and women’s karate competitions, which included the men’s kumite -60 and -67 categories and the women’s kumite open category

RIYADH: Prince Fahd bin Jalawi bin Abdulaziz bin Musaed, vice-president of the Saudi Olympic and Paralympic Committee and director of the Saudi Games, on Saturday honored the athletics medalists and the men’s 10-meter air pistol medalists.

Princess Delayel Nahar Al-Saud, deputy director of the Saudi Olympic and Paralympic Committee and deputy director of the Saudi Games, honored the equestrian medalists who took part in the endurance category finals, as well as the women’s futsal medalists.

Meanwhile, Princess Rihem bint Saif Al-Islam bin Saud bin Abdulaziz honored the fencing medalists.

Finally, Prince Khalid bin Sultan Al-Abdullah Al-Faisal, chairman of the Saudi Motorsports Company and the Saudi Automobile and Motorcycle Federation, honored the karting event medalists.

ATHLETICS

The event took off at Al-Riyadh Club. Many categories concluded on Saturday, including the men’s 110-meter hurdles, 100 meters, javelin throw, long jump and shot put.

The star of the men’s 100 meters was Abdullah Mohammed, who placed first and won the gold medal, followed by Mahmoud Ibrahim, who earned a silver medal, and Ahmed Majrashi, who won the bronze.

As for the 110-meter hurdles, Atiah Al-Shamrani secured first place and won a gold medal, while Shaker Al-Salem won silver and Munier Al-Hashim received bronze.

In the shot put competition, Mohammed Tolo received a gold medal, followed by Ali Al-Mubarak with silver and Ameen Al-Aradi with bronze.

Moving on to the long jump event, Homoud Al-Wani earned a gold medal, while Ahmed Marzouq won silver and Abdurahman Sharaheli won bronze.

Lastly, in the javelin throw final, Ali Al-Abdulghani received a gold medal, followed by Waleed Al-Ahmad with silver and Murtada Al-Ahmad with bronze.

SHOOTING

The finals, which took place at the City Public Security Training Shooting Range, saw Atallah Al-Anazi take gold. The silver medal was awarded to Mohammed Al-Amri, while bronze was won by Ali Mohammed Al-Ghamdi.

EQUESTRIAN

The event concluded with the MS Stable team coming out on top and securing the gold medal, followed by Al-Shoumough with silver, and Al-Khayyala team with bronze.

FUTSAL

The games concluded at the KSU Arena with Al-Hilal winning gold after playing a tough match against Al-Yamamah and winning 3-2.

In the third-place match, Al-Shabab took bronze after beating Al-Nassr 4-3.

Turning to the men’s finals, Al-Eitifaq took gold after defeating Al-Nassr 3-1.

Winning bronze was Musadaa after beating Al-Ardh 3-2.

FENCING

The competitions carried on for a second day at Al-Riyadh Club.

In the women’s épée individual category, fencer Fawzia Al-Khibiri secured the gold medal, while Nada Abed received silver, followed by a joint bronze for Shooq Al-Jazzar and Dana Al-Qassem.

In the men’s foil individual, fencer Mohammed Al-Dakhil placed first and secured a gold medal. The silver medal was awarded to Mahdi Al-Qaros, followed by a joint bronze for Ali Al-Binali and Mohammed Al-Dalkhil.

KARTING

The competition’s finals took place at Dirab Park.

Securing the gold medal was racer Fahad Al-Mugla, followed by Fahad Al-Dhufairi with silver. The bronze medal was secured by Prince Saud bin Al-Musta’sim bin Saud bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud.

BOXING

Continuing at the Prince Faisal bin Fahd Stadium, the boxing semifinals determined who is heading to the finals tomorrow.

Kulthum Hantol faces Sarah Al-Sharani in the Women’s -50 kg category, while Khadeja Al-Mahi is set to meet Sarah Yahya in the Women’s -54 kg category.

Finally, Raghad Al-Nuami will take on Hadil Ashour in the Women’s -60 kg category.

Turning to the Men’s categories, Abdulaziz Al-Oteibi will compete with Mohammed Azebi in the Men’s -54 kg, while Mohammed Al-Keidis faces Zied Al-Majrashi in the Men’s -60 kg.

This will be followed by Rakan Al-Thaqafi and Mohammed Salem in the Men’s -67 kg category.

Finally, Mohammed Al-Subhi will go against Salman Hamada in the Men’s -80 kg category.

VOLLEYBALL

The crowds of SAOC Complex were in for an amazing show as they attended the men’s volleyball finals.

Al-Ahli won their final match against Al-Hilal and received a gold medal after scoring 3-2.

The champions were followed by Al-Hilal, who placed second and won the silver medal. Finally, after battling for third place, Al-Etihad won their match against Al-Ibtisam and were awarded the bronze medal after achieving a score of 3-0.

WHEELCHAIR BASKETBALL

The paralympic court, located at the Prince Faisal Bin Fahd Stadium, witnessed two wheelchair basketball games, where Al-Jouf won against Al-Madinah with a score of 59-14, while Jeddah beat Jazan 67-27.

TABLE TENNIS

The table tennis event took off at the Leaders Development Institute in the Prince Faisal bin Fahd Olympic Complex.

KARATE

The KSU Arena hosted the men’s and women’s karate competitions, which included the men’s kumite -60 and -67 categories and the women’s kumite open category.


Canelo Alvarez to face Terence Crawford in Riyadh Season Las Vegas showdown

Updated 10 June 2025
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Canelo Alvarez to face Terence Crawford in Riyadh Season Las Vegas showdown

  • Fight between 2 of boxing’s biggest generational athletes will be streamed on Netflix
  • They will compete for the unified Super Middleweight championship on Sept. 13

LONDON: Saul “Canelo” Alvarez will face off against Terence Crawford on Sept. 13 in Las Vegas, Turki Alalshikh, chairman of Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority and president of the Saudi Boxing Federation, and Dana White, CEO of the Ultimate Fighting Championship, have announced.

The highly anticipated fight between two of boxing’s biggest generational athletes will be streamed on Netflix for more than 300 million subscribers on the platform.

White, Alashikh and Saudi events firm Sela will collaborate to promote the event, which is part of Riyadh Season.

The showdown will be promoted through a promotional tour with stops in Riyadh on June 20, New York City on June 22 and Las Vegas on June 27.

The venue for the fight in Las Vegas, scheduled for September, will be announced at a later date. The boxers will compete for the unified Super Middleweight championship.

Alalshikh said on Tuesday: “Canelo and Crawford, two legends of boxing, will finally compete against each other in the fight of the century.”

Dana White described the anticipated fight in Las Vegas as historic. He added: “Turki wants to make the biggest fights that the fans want to see in boxing and this is right up my alley ... it’s literally a once in a lifetime fight.”

Mexican star Canelo is ready to prove he is the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world. “I’m super happy to be making history again and this time on a Riyadh Season card that will be broadcast on Netflix,” he said.

Crawford, the undefeated American superstar, is confident that his record speaks for itself. “I am the best fighter in the world and no matter the opponent or weight class, I have always come out on top,” he said.

“On Sept. 13, my hand will be raised once again as the world watches greatness,” Crawford told fans.


Baseball United and Tokyo Broadcasting System launch reality show to find Japan’s next baseball stars

Updated 10 June 2025
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Baseball United and Tokyo Broadcasting System launch reality show to find Japan’s next baseball stars

  • The national competition, ‘Tryout: Plan D,’ will give hopeful players a chance to compete professionally in the Dubai league

DUBAI: A partnership between Baseball United, the first professional baseball league focused on the Middle East and South Asia, and leading Japanese broadcaster Tokyo Broadcast System will give young baseball players a shot at becoming professional stars.

The reality show, “Tryout: Plan D,” will feature hundreds of hopefuls competing for two roster spots on the Mid East Falcons, one of Baseball United’s founding franchises. The winners will play for the Falcons during the inaugural season in Dubai, which begins on Nov. 14.

Participants will compete in several stages of the competition, starting in July and ending in November. Ultimately, one pitcher and one batter will be selected after a series of intense challenges measuring skill, mental toughness, physical fitness and passion for the game.

The partnership will be anchored by TBS’s long running and widely respected show, バース・デイ(“Birthday”), a documentary series that has chronicled the triumphs and struggles of athletes across Japan for the last 20 years.

Airing on Friday nights, it explores its subjects’ personal transformations and emotional journeys. “Tryout” will bring to life a compelling mix of reality television, human interest and competitive action, while providing real opportunities for Japanese baseball prospects.

“Japan is one of the greatest baseball nations in the world,” said Kash Shaikh, chairman, CEO and co-founder of Baseball United.

“Baseball is engrained into the culture, history and future of this country. And we know there are a lot of talented players that just need an opportunity to showcase their ability. ‘Tryout’ is more than just a competition — it’s a celebration of culture, a catalyst of opportunity and a testament (to) resilience. We are honored to collaborate with TBS and the legendary ‘Birthday’ team to bring this vision to life.”

Tryout will begin airing on TBS in July, with behind-the-scenes content and exclusive footage shared across Baseball United’s global channels. The two winners will be officially introduced as members of the Mid East Falcons before the team’s game against the Karachi Monarchs on Wednesday, Nov. 19.

“Our program バース・デイ has always sought to showcase the untold stories behind athletic greatness,” said show producer Hidemitsu Takahashi.

“Partnering with Baseball United allows us to elevate that mission by offering young Japanese players the opportunity of a lifetime — to transform their lives through sport, and to do so on a truly international platform. We can’t wait to have our two winners take the field in Dubai.”

Baseball United was co-founded by Shaikh, John Miedreich, and MLB Hall of Famers Barry Larkin and Mariano Rivera in November 2022. Its ownership group now includes 20 MLB legends, including Hall of Famer Adrian Beltre and stars Felix Hernandez, Ryan Howard, Albert Pujols, Ronald Acuna Jr., Robinson Chirinos, and Matt Barnes. The league currently has four franchises, the Mumbai Cobras, Karachi Monarchs, Arabia Wolves and Mid East Falcons, who will all compete in the league’s first season from Nov. 14-Dec. 14. All games will be played at Baseball United Ballpark in Dubai.


SHE RUNS 2025: UAE’s largest women’s fitness event set for return

Updated 10 June 2025
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SHE RUNS 2025: UAE’s largest women’s fitness event set for return

  • Previously known as the Women’s Run, it will take place at Expo City on Nov. 2

DUBAI: The UAE’s most iconic women’s fitness event is making a comeback under a new identity titled SHE RUNS.

Reimagined to reflect the spirit of a new generation, the event will take place on Sunday, Nov. 2, 2025, at Expo City Dubai, celebrating inclusion, strength, and the collective power of women.

Formerly known as the Women’s Run, this 12th edition marks more than a name change, it signals a transformative movement toward wellbeing, leadership, and community connection, according to the organizers.

Participants of all ages and fitness levels — whether running, jogging or walking — can join across multiple race categories, including 1 km, 3 km, 5 km and 10km.

Dedicated tracks for young girls, Emirati women, and People of Determination reflect the event’s commitment to diversity and intergenerational participation.

“In embracing inclusivity, SHE RUNS does not just count miles, it counts moments. Each step is a testament to the power of community driving change,” said Dr. Harmeek Singh, founder and CEO of Plan b Group, the event’s organizing partner.

This year’s edition runs under the banner “For Voices. For Connection. For Change.” This is in alignment with the UAE’s Year of the Community.

Backed by the Dubai Sports Council and integrated into the Dubai Fitness Challenge 30x30, SHE RUNS is also a strategic partner of the Dubai Active Show, further anchoring its role as a national movement in health and wellness.

“SHE RUNS reflects the very essence of what the Dubai Fitness Challenge is about; empowering individuals through movement and bringing communities together in the spirit of wellbeing,” said a spokesperson from the Dubai Sports Council.

Also returning for 2025 is the high-energy SHE RUNS Power Hour, a pre-race activation featuring motivational talks, dynamic group warmups, and outreach programs for schools, universities and corporate teams.


Madrid to host grand prix as Formula One announces 2026 calendar

Updated 10 June 2025
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Madrid to host grand prix as Formula One announces 2026 calendar

  • Spain will host two Formula One grands prix in 2026, with the new race in Madrid joining Barcelona, after organizers on Tuesday announced the calendar for a season

HONG KONG: Spain will host two Formula One grands prix in 2026, with the new race in Madrid joining Barcelona, after organizers on Tuesday announced the calendar for a season that could bring big changes on the grid.
The 2026 campaign will open for the second successive season in Australia at Melbourne’s Albert Park street circuit on March 6-8.
The race in the Spanish capital Madrid is on September 11-13 and will bring the curtain down on the European segment of the season.
The new Madrid circuit will have both street and non-street sectors.
The 24-weekend campaign will again conclude in Abu Dhabi, on December 4-6.
Montreal in Canada will now follow Miami in May to cut down on traveling for the teams.
The 2026 season promises to look radically different with Cadillac becoming the 11th team on the grid and sweeping new regulations on aerodynamics and power units.
Mohammed Ben Sulayem, president of motorsport’s governing body, the FIA, said: “Next year’s FIA Formula One World Championship marks a significant new chapter for our sport.
“A new race, new teams, and the arrival of new manufacturers, all ushering in a fresh era of innovation and competition.”

Formula One 2026 calendar:
March 6-8: Melbourne, Australia
March 13-15: Shanghai, China
March 27-29: Suzuka, Japan
April 10-12: Sakhir, Bahrain
April 17-19: Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
May 1-3: Miami, United States
May 22-24: Montreal, Canada
June 5-7: Monaco
June 12-14: Barcelona, Spain
June 26-28: Spielberg, Austria
July 3-5: Silverstone, Great Britain
July 17-19: Spa-Francorchamps, Belgium
July 24-26: Budapest, Hungary
August 21-23: Zandvoort, Netherlands
Sept 4-6: Monza, Italy
Sept 11-13: Madrid, Spain
Sept 25-27: Baku, Azerbaijan
Oct 9-11 Singapore
Oct 23-25 Austin, United States
Oct 30-Nov 1: Mexico City, Mexico
Nov 6-8 Sao Paulo, Brazil
Nov 19-21 Las Vegas, United States
Nov 27-29 Lusail, Qatar
Dec 4-6: Abu Dhabi, UAE


Italy struggle but give sacked Spalletti winning send-off against Moldova

Updated 10 June 2025
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Italy struggle but give sacked Spalletti winning send-off against Moldova

  • Italy’s first threat came when defender Luca Ranieri, making his international debut, hit the crossbar with a header, and they found the breakthrough five minutes before the break

ITALY: Sacked Italy manager Luciano Spalletti bowed out with a victory after his side labored to an uninspired 2-0 home win over Moldova in their World Cup qualification match on Monday thanks to goals from Giacomo Raspadori and Andrea Cambiaso.
Spalletti announced his own dismissal on Sunday following Italy’s 3-0 loss in Norway in their opening group game on Friday, but took charge for one final time where again the performance showed why a change of leadership was required.
Norway, who won 1-0 in Estonia with Erling Haaland netting the winner, top Group I on 12 points from four games, with Israel on six points after three matches while Italy are third with three points from their two games.
“I asked the guys to let me go out with a victory,” Spalletti told Sky Sport shortly before kickoff.
While his players duly obliged, it was perhaps a fitting end to Spalletti’s time on the bench as another lacklustre showing failed to light up a far from full Stadio Citta del Tricolore.
With Italy’s slow, predictable build-up play failing to break through the visitors’ rearguard, the hosts were given an early wake-up call when Ion Nicolaescu found the net only for his goal to be ruled out for offside.
Italy’s first threat came when defender Luca Ranieri, making his international debut, hit the crossbar with a header, and they found the breakthrough five minutes before the break.
A headed clearance fell to Raspadori in the box who struck first time into the bottom corner but Moldova almost levelled before halftime when Oleg Reabciuk’s shot from distance was parried away by Gianluigi Donnarumma.
Artur Ionita’s follow-up effort went wide of the far post and Daniel Dumbravanu’s header from a corner was cleared off the line by Federico Dimarco as Italy hung onto their lead.
Italy doubled their lead five minutes into the second half when substitute Riccardo Orsolini sent a low cross into the area which Davide Frattesi knocked on to Cambiaso who fired past keeper Cristian Avram.
The two-goal cushion failed to inspire Italy. Frattesi was sent through on goal from a ball over the top by Alessandro Bastoni but he sent his shot straight at the keeper and Moldova continued to create chances of their own.
“We struggled again tonight,” Spalletti told Rai Sport.
“When you are the coach of the national team you cannot have alibis because he chooses the players and if they don’t do well he can change them.”
Spalletti’s name was booed by large sections of the crowd when read out before kickoff, and the game failed to improve the mood, and Italian fans will hope for better when a replacement, rumored to be Claudio Ranieri, is installed.