Golden triumphs during day 12 of Saudi Games 2023

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The Saudi Games is the biggest national sporting event held annually in the Kingdom. (Supplied)
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The Saudi Games is the biggest national sporting event held annually in the Kingdom. (Supplied)
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Updated 05 December 2023
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Golden triumphs during day 12 of Saudi Games 2023

  • Winners receive medals from Princess Delayel bint Nahar Al-Saud, other leading figures
  • Athletes compete in table tennis, karate, handball, basketball, fencing, Thai boxing, futsal competitions

RIYADH: Princess Delayel bint Nahar Al-Saud, the deputy director of the Saudi Games, on Monday crowned the winners in the para table tennis competition at Prince Faisal bin Fahd Olympic Complex Paralympic Hall.

Al-Riyadh’s Ghaliah Al-Anzi secured the gold medal, Renad Al-Rehaili from Al-Sharqiya claimed silver, and bronze was presented to Al-Riyadh’s Maryam Al-Myrisl.

The princess also handed out awards to the winners in the women’s fencing contest, held at the Riyadh Club. In the epee category, Al-Shabab’s youth player Fawzya Al-Khibiri retained her Saudi Games gold medal title. Al-Nahda’s Nada Abed took silver, and Layan Ahmedo and Dana Al-Qassem from Al-Shabab both received bronze.

Jana and Mariam shine in karate:

Adwa Al-Araifi, assistant minister of sports affairs, presented awards to the winners in the women’s open-weight karate competitions, staged at King Saud University.

Maryam Al-Salah of Al-Hilal won the gold medal, while Samar Mokhtar from Al-Farouk took home the silver. Al-Nassr’s Noura Al-Rashed secured bronze.

In the women’s open-weight youth category, Hajer’s Jana Al-Omarin took the gold, Al-Hilal’s Jwan Feteiha silver, and Al-Ittihad’s Rana Faiad bronze.

Hajer takes the youth karate gold:

Hajer’s Abdullah Al-Garni secured the gold medal in karate’s under-55 kg men’s youth category, which took place at King Saud University. Khaled Al-Otaibi from Al-Ahli Club received silver, and Al-Saffa’s Ali Al-Aryani the bronze.

Mahdi Al-Munjem from Okh won gold in the under-61 kg category, silver went to Hajer’s Omar Shaman, and bronze to Bassam Shafei from Al-Hilal Club.

Hajer’s Abdulaziz Al-Saif scooped the gold medal in the under-68 kg category, while Al-Safa’s Haitam Oufkir took silver, and Al-Ahli’s Fahad Al-Otaibi bronze.

Al-Safa’s Abdullah Al-Qahtani won gold in the under-76 kg class, Hajer’s Enad Al-Mubarak silver, and Hamza Rami from Al-Nahdah Club claimed bronze.

In the over-76 kg competition, Abdulaziz Mansour from Al-Shabab Club was the gold-medal winner, with Hajer’s Fazaa Al-Saiar taking silver, and bronze going to Al-Fateh’s Yousef Al-Abdulazeem Safa.

Al-Hilal dominates karate with three gold medals:

Al-Hilal’s Saud Al-Basher secured the gold medal in the under-60 kg category in the karate competitions, also held at King Saud University. His teammate, Turki Al-Nami, won silver, and Saud Al-Dossari from Al-Nassr Club claimed the bronze.

Omar Al-Azmi from Al-Nassr won gold in the under-67 kg category, followed by Al-Ittihad’s Fahd Al-Khathami with silver, and Al-Ahli’s Anas Basha taking the bronze medal.

In the under-75 kg category, Ali Burnawi from Al-Ittihad secured the gold medal, Ali Mugari from Al-Safa Club the silver, Al-Hilal’s Majed Al-Khalifah the bronze.

Firj Al-Nashiri from Al-Hilal Club won gold in the under-84 kg class, with his teammate Mohammed Al-Maliki clinching silver. Al-Nassr’s Anas Al-Zahrani received the bronze.

Al-Hilal’s Sanad Sufyani secured gold in the over-84 kg category, and Ibrahim Al-Marzooq of the same club, took silver. Al-Safa’s Zayed Al-Bishi was the winner of the bronze medal.

Karate gold for Hajer youth:

Secretary-general and CEO of the Saudi Olympic and Paralympic Committee, Abdulaziz Baeshen, awarded the medals for the karate winners.

Abdullah Al-Garni took home the gold in the youth under-55 kg category at King Saud University. The silver medal was won by Hajer’s Khaled Al-Otaibi, while Ali Al-Aryani from Al-Saffa secured the bronze.

In the men’s over-76 kg category, Abdulaziz Mansour from Al-Shabab Club won gold, followed by Fazaa Al-Saiari taking silver, and Yousef Al-Abdulazeem securing bronze.

Handball victories for Al-Qarah, Al-Khaleej, and Al-Safa:

In the men’s handball competitions, Al-Qarah defeated Al-Jeel 30-24 in the first group match held at King Saud University’s Sports Arena. Al-Khaleej overcame Al-Muheet 39-21, and Al-Safa defeated Al-Njoom with a score of 65-19 in the second group.

Al-Rawdah will face Al-Noor in the third group, while Al-Adalah will play against Al-Hada. Al-Wehda will compete against Al-Hazem in the fourth group.

Three matches in youth handball:

Al-Wehda defeated Al-Hazem 25-15 in the first group match at King Saud University’s Sports Arena, and Al-Noor secured a 32-18 victory over Al-Hada in the same group. Al-Khaleej will play Al-Ibtisam in the third group, and the second group will see Al-Ahli versus Mudhar and Al-Hilal take on Al-Qarah.

Women’s basketball semi-finals begin:

Jeddah United women’s basketball team began their campaign to defend their title with a victory over Al-Qadisiyah, winning 60-20 in the first match of the quarterfinals.

The Al-Ittihad team defeated Al-Nassr 48-36, while Al-Hilal overcame Al-Ahli 49-42. Jeddah United will next face Al-Ittihad, and Al-Hilal will play against Al-Asima.

Men’s basketball semi-finals begin:

The men’s basketball semi-finals take place at Prince Faisal bin Fahd Olympic Complex Sports Arena. Al-Ahli and Al-Hilal will open the matches, followed by Al-Nassr against Ohod.

Al-Nassr dominates youth fencing gold:

Al-Nassr’s athletes claimed the podium in the youth foil events. Gold was awarded to Saud Al-Rasheed, while Abdulaziz Al-Mugairen took silver, and Fares Al-Omair and Abdulaziz Hatem Al-Tuwaijri received the bronze.

In the men’s youth sabre category, gold was awarded to Al-Adalah’s Jehad Al-Obaid. Silver was presented to Al-Omran’s Ali Saeed Al-Hashem, and Al-Adalah’s Ahmed Al-Omran and Al-Watani’s Abdulsalam Turk Al-Anazi secured bronze.

In the youth men’s epee fencing category, Hassan Abed from Al-Nahda Club won gold, Al-Hilal’s Ahmed Hzazi took silver, and Youssef Al-Banai from Al-Hilal and Saleh Sultan Al-Sudais from Al-Nassr claimed bronze.

In the youth women’s sabre division, Al-Shabab’s Talene Al-Kudmani clinched the gold while her teammate, Zilal Ahmado, bagged silver. Luluh Al-Buqmi from Okaz and Al-Ettifaq’s Aleen Khalid Al-Amoudi took home the bronze.

Hattan wins gold in Thai boxing:

Hattan Al-Saif secured the gold medal in the women’s Thai boxing 57 kg category at King Saud University. Abdulrahman Al-Olayeq, the former secretary-general of the Saudi Arabian Olympic Committee, and Rian Al-Ahmad, a Saudi Arabian Thai Boxing Federation board member presented the awards.

Ghadah Al-Shehri won the silver medal, while Dana Al-Ghussein and Reema Al-Ferdews received bronze.

Champions crowned in men’s Thai boxing:

Ahmad Rosli won the gold medal in the 57 kg men’s Thai boxing category, staged at King Saud University. Khalid Al-Dawalibi took the silver, and Alaraa Al-Amoudi and Abdullah Mohammed received the bronze.

Othmane Essaadaoui clinched the gold medal in the 63.5 kg category, with Abdullah Al-Qahtani taking silver, and Mujtaba Al-Zaki and Mehtab Khan bronze.

In the 75 kg class, Soufiane Marzaq was the gold-medal winner, while silver was presented to Abdulrahman Bajbaa. Ali Najee and Amer Al-Anzi both came away with the bronze.

Al-Riyadh wins gold in men’s futsal:

Al-Riyadh team claimed the gold medal in men’s futsal after defeating Al-Nassr 4-3. Al-Ittihad secured bronze after winning 8-5 against Al-Qadisiyah.

Dr. Khalid Bin Muqrin, board member of the Saudi Arabian Football Federation, and former Saudi football star Majid Abdullah handed out awards to the winners.


Saudi Arabia overcome Thailand hurdle to set up thrilling qualification finale

Updated 7 sec ago
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Saudi Arabia overcome Thailand hurdle to set up thrilling qualification finale

  • Saudi Arabia chased a target of 134 runs in 18.4 overs to end Thailand’s qualification hopes
  • Thailand was restricted to 133-7 in 20 overs after exceptional bowling from the player of the match, Zain Ul Abidin

Saudi Arabia registered their third win in a row in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Asia Qualifier as they beat Thailand by five wickets in Qatar on Tuesday.

Saudi Arabia chased a target of 134 runs in 18.4 overs to end Thailand’s qualification hopes. The Kingdom had a rough start to the tournament with consecutive losses in the first two matches. With this win, Saudi Arabia now have a chance to finish in the top two and qualify for the regional finals.

On Tuesday, Saudi Arabia invited Thailand to bat first at the West End Park International Cricket Stadium in Doha. Thailand was restricted to 133-7 in 20 overs after exceptional bowling from the player of the match, Zain Ul Abidin.

The left-arm spinner gave away just 19 runs in his four-over spell with the wickets of Nitish Salekar and Udsak Saranonnakkun, both in the sixth over of the innings. His double wicket meant Thailand slumped to 46-3 in the powerplay.

Opener Akshyakumar Yadav fought a lone battle at the top of the batting order, scoring 60 runs. He hit seven fours and a six in his 51-ball innings. He received little support from skipper Austin Lazarus toward the end. Lazarus hit five fours and a six in his 25-ball 35.

Ul Abidin was supported by two wickets from Abdul Wahid and one each from Ishtiaq Ahmad and Waji Ul Hassan.

In reply, Saudi Arabia lost Wahid in the second over after he was caught behind for just six runs. A centurion in the previous match, Faisal Khan continued his hitting prowess with five fours and a six in his 34-run innings. Siddharth Sankar kept the runs flowing with a run-a-ball 37, which included three boundaries.

Saudi Arabia lost wickets at regular intervals, but Manan Ali and Ul Abidin saw them home. Both were unbeaten on identical 13 runs off 10 balls each. Nopphon Senamontree and Sarawit Maliwan took two wickets each while Salekar grabbed a wicket for Thailand.

The other match on the day saw Qatar concede a 29-run defeat against UAE, which means the Saudi Arabia vs. Qatar match could be a winner-takes-all match on the final day. The UAE, on the other hand, have booked their place in the regional finals with five wins out of five. They have an unassailable 10-point lead at the top and will face Bahrain on the final day.

Bahrain themselves are on six points and will need to beat the UAE to have any chance of qualification. The final round of fixtures will be played on Thursday with qualification hopefuls Qatar and Saudi Arabia facing each other. Qatar has eight points and Saudi Arabia has six, meaning a UAE win and their win in the final match will be enough as Saudi Arabia already has a superior run rate to Qatar.

Opener Khan was ecstatic with the result and was focused on the next match. “We got the result today and we are happy. Now our focus is on the next match. Like today, the match against Qatar is a final for us and inshallah, we will qualify for the next round,” he said.

The top two teams from this tournament will join the final round of regional qualifiers. Malaysia and Kuwait have already booked their spot from the Asia Group A qualifier, while Samoa and Japan are representing the East Asia-Pacific region. Nepal, Oman, and Papua New Guinea will also compete in the regional finals as they have qualified for the 2024 edition of the T20 World Cup held in the US and West Indies. The regional qualifier will be played in Malaysia in August 2025.


TATA IPL mega auction is a significant milestone, says Indian ambassador

Updated 26 November 2024
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TATA IPL mega auction is a significant milestone, says Indian ambassador

  • Saudi government, SACF and people of Jeddah deserve much praise for their warm hospitality and support, says envoy
  • Event is a historic sporting achievement in Jeddah — SACF

RIYADH: The Indian Premier League mega auction held at Jeddah’s Abadi Al-Johar Arena highlights the enduring friendship between India and Saudi Arabia, the Indian ambassador has said.

Suhel Ajaz Khan hailed the event, from Nov. 24-25, as a significant milestone in the growing influence of cricket across the region.

“Cricket, as we all know, is more than just a sport,” he told Arab News. “It is a powerful connector, bringing people together across borders, cultures and languages. Today, the IPL has become a global spectacle — a platform where talent, ambition and passion for the game converge. But beyond the game itself, it is events like these that reflect the deepening relationship between India and Saudi Arabia, two nations whose partnership continues to strengthen on every front, from economic cooperation to cultural exchange.”

The envoy praised the Kingdom, Cricket Saudi and Jeddahwis for their tremendous support.

“The Saudi government and the people of Jeddah deserve a lot of praise and applause for their warm hospitality and support in hosting this remarkable event,” he said. “A lot of credit is also due to the Saudi Arabian Cricket Federation, who made this event possible.

“It was also heartening to see how the Saudi community, with its growing enthusiasm for cricket, had wholeheartedly embraced this event.”

The SACF described the TATA IPL mega auction as “a historic sporting achievement in Jeddah.”

“Over the past two days Jeddah has witnessed an unprecedented sporting event by hosting the IPL mega auction at Abadi Al Johar Arena, as part of the Jeddah Calendar, becoming the first international cricket event to be held in the Kingdom,” it said in a statement.

The auction was attended by officials and sports fans. A total of 1,574 players went under the hammer, with 1,165 Indian players and 409 overseas players competing for a place in the world’s premier T20 league. Total spending amounted to around $76.7 million, said the SACF.

The mega auction concluded on Monday evening in the presence of Saudi Deputy Minister of Sport Bader bin Abdulrahman Al-Kadi, SACF Chairman Prince Saud bin Mishal Al-Saud, and Secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India and chairman-elect of the International Cricket Council Jay Shah. Also present were international figures in the world of cricket, while a drone show lit up the Jeddah sky with slogans symbolizing the partnership between the Kingdom and India.


Ayub century helps Pakistan crush Zimbabwe, level series

Updated 26 November 2024
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Ayub century helps Pakistan crush Zimbabwe, level series

  • Ayub struck unbeaten 113 as Pakistan beat Zimbabwe by 10 wickets to level one-day international series with one match to come
  • Zimbabwe were all out for 145 at Queens Sports Club as they sought a second victory over the tourists

ZIMBABWE: Saim Ayub struck an unbeaten 113 as Pakistan crushed Zimbabwe by 10 wickets in Bulawayo on Tuesday to level a one-day international series with one match to come.

Zimbabwe were all out for 145 at Queens Sports Club as they sought a second victory over the tourists in three days having won by 80 runs in a rain-shortened tour opener.

Pakistan then atoned for a poor batting show on Sunday with Ayub and fellow opener Abdullah Shafique (32 not out) unstoppable as they reached their target in 18.2 overs.

Ayub struck 17 runs and three sixes off 62 balls in a 75-minute stand while Shafique claimed four fours in the southern city.

Ayub reached his century off 53 balls — the second fastest in an ODI international by a Pakistani after Shahid Afridi.

Zimbabwe, seeking a first ODI series win over Pakistan, utilized five bowlers, but none made an impression with Brandon Mavuta, who conceded 47 runs in four overs, particularly expensive.

After winning the toss, Zimbabwe were quickly in trouble with openers Joylord Gumbie (five) and Tadiwanashe Marumani (four) back in the pavilion with less than four overs bowled.

Only Dion Myers, who struck six fours in his 33, and veteran Sean Williams, who posted 31 before being trapped leg before by Ayub, impressed for the home team.

Pakistan-born all-rounder Sikandar Raza, often the batting savior for Zimbabwe, made just 17 before becoming one of three victims of Salman Ali Agha.

Abrar Ahmed took four wickets and Ali Agha three for Pakistan, who arrived in southern Africa after a 3-0 ODI series loss in Australia.

The Zimbabwe ODI series decider is set for Thursday, followed by three Twenty20 internationals from Sunday, also in Bulawayo. Pakistan then visit South Africa for an all-format tour.


Zimbabwe win toss and elect to bat in 2nd ODI against Pakistan

Updated 26 November 2024
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Zimbabwe win toss and elect to bat in 2nd ODI against Pakistan

  • Pakistan suffered 80-run humiliating loss to Zimbabwe in first ODI on Sunday 
  • Tayyab Tahir and leg-spinner Abrar Ahmed debut for Pakistan in second ODI 

BULAWAYO: Zimbabwe won the toss and elected to bat in the second one-day international against Pakistan on Tuesday.
Pakistan made two changes after Zimbabwe recorded a stunning 80-run win on DLS method in the rain-affected first match to lead the three-game series 1-0 on Monday.
Middle-order batter Tayyab Tahir and leg-spinner Abrar Ahmed were awarded ODI debuts in place of Haseebullah Khan and fast bowler Mohammad Hasnain.
Haseebullah got dropped after making 0 in his debut ODI while Hasnain made way for Abrar with the wicket expecting to slow bowlers.
Zimbabwe didn’t tinker with its winning combination after Pakistan struggled against both pace and spin in the first game.
Pakistan have rested its frontline white-ball players Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah and Babar Azam as they tested bench strength ahead of next year’s Champions Trophy.
Bulawayo will host the third and final ODI on Thursday and will also host both teams in the three-match T20 series.


‘As easy as the semifinal’ — Alhyasat predicts another win over Al-Qahtani

Updated 26 November 2024
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‘As easy as the semifinal’ — Alhyasat predicts another win over Al-Qahtani

  • Saudi fighter Al-Qahtani gets second chance against his Jordanian opponent after Islam Reda’s withdrawal from the PFL Mena Championship final

RIYADH: The author of arguably the biggest upset in the inaugural season of PFL MENA, Jordanian welterweight Abdelrahman “Cobra” Alhyasat, has predicted history will repeat itself during the first championship final on Nov. 29.

A relative unknown, Alhyasat shocked the world when he beat Saudi Arabian mixed martial arts star and title favorite Abdullah Al-Qahtani in the semifinals, winning by unanimous decision. 

While the undefeated Alhyasat was initially scheduled to face Islam Reda in the final, an injury meant the latter had to withdraw — opening the door for a rematch with Al-Qahtani.

However, Alhyasat does not seem too excited about facing the “The Reaper” for a second time.

“I would have preferred to face a different fighter in the final, but Islam Reda’s injury led to Al-Qahtani being in the final,” he said.

However, “Cobra” is confident that he can make it 2-0 against the Kingdom’s biggest MMA star. 

“I will repeat my victory over Al-Qahtani,” he said boldly, even stating the hometown disadvantage would not be much of an issue. “I’m comfortable with this matchup; it will be as easy as the semifinal. Fighting on his home turf won’t be a source of stress for me.”

While Alhyasat believes he can shut down Al-Qahtani again, he also knows the Saudi Arabian star will not have the same game plan as he did in their semifinal showdown — so he has made his own strategy adjustments to compensate.

“I expect Al-Qahtani to change his fighting style for the final. That’s why, during my specialized training camp in Thailand, we coordinated with the technical team to study all possibilities and adapt to the flow of the fight,” Alhyasat explained.

“The plan we’ve prepared for the final is flawless and ensures another victory over Al-Qahtani,” he added.

In fact, Alhyasat is so confident in his capabilities that he already has a celebration planned.

“I will celebrate the belt with my friends in Amman, enjoying Jordanian mansaf, even if my opponent changes his fighting style,” he said.

 

The complete PFL MENA Championships card:

PFL MENA Featherweight Championship: Abdelrahman Alhyasat (5-0) vs. Abdullah Al-Qahtani (9-2)

PFL MENA Welterweight Championship: Mohammad Alaqraa (7-0) vs. Omar El Dafrawy (12-6)

Amateur Women’s Atomweight Bout: Hattan Alsaif vs. Lilia Osmani

PFL MENA Bantamweight Championship: Ali Taleb (11-1) vs. Rachid El Hazoume (15-3)

 

PFL MENA Lightweight Championship: Mohsen Mohammadseifi (6-1) vs. Georges Eid (10-4)

 

Showcase Fights:

Lightweight MENA Showcase: Mansour Barnaoui (21-6) vs. Alfie Davis (17-4-1)

Heavyweight MENA Showcase: Slim Trabelsi (7-0) vs. Abraham Bably (5-0)

Featherweight Global Showcase: Jesus Pinedo (23-6-1) vs. Jeremy Kennedy (19-4)

Featherweight Global Showcase: Asael Adjoudj (8-1) vs. Jose Perez (9-1)

Middleweight Global Showcase: Costello van Steenis (15-3) vs. Joao Dantas (7-1)