JEDDAH, 9 November 2006 — The Saudi Athletics Federation has come up with a short list of 54 athletes seeking places on the national team to represent Saudi Arabia in the track and field competition in the 15th Asian Games from Dec. 1 to 12.
The final lineup will be made after the Al-Nokhba Championship in the Eastern Province, which shall serve as the final basis in the selection process, shortly before the Doha Asian Games.
The candidates for the national team and their events are: Salim Al-Yami, Yehya Gahis and Yehya Hassan (100m); Hamid Al-Bishi, Mohammed Al-Bishi and Walid Burnawi (200 m); Hamdan Al-Bishi, Moussa Hawasawi and Ismael Al-Sibyani (400m); Mohammed Al-Salihi, Ali Al-Daraan and Mohammed Othman Shaween (800 m); Mohammed Shaween and Saad Al-Sibaiye (1500 m); Mokhallad al-Itaibi and Hassan Al-Yami (5000 m); Ibrahim Khaloufa (marathon); Ali Al-Amri (3000 m hurdles); Mubarak Atta, Badr Al-Boueneen and Mubarak Al-Mabadi (110 m hurdles); Hadi Souan, Ibrahim Al-Hamidi, Bandar Sharahili and Adil Aseri (400 m hurdles); Omar Masrahi, Jamil Fakhri and Hashim Al-Agabi (pole vault); Hussain Al-Sabaa, Mohammed Al-Khuwailidi and Ahmed Marzoug (high jump); Mohammed Majrashi (triple jump); Sultan Al-Hibshi and Saeed Al-Yami (hammer); Sultan Al-Dawoudi and Saeed Al-Bagmi (discus); Ali Al-Jadaani (Javelin); Mohammed Al-Matroud, Mohammed Al-Guraia and Saad Al-Bishi (decathlon); Salim Al-Yami, Yehya Habib and Mohammed Ali (4x100m relays); Hadi Souan, Hamdan Awdah, Ibrahim Al-Hamidi, Mohammed Al-Salihi, Hamid Al-Bishi and Younis Al-Housa (4x400 m relays).
The team enjoy the full support of Saudi Athletics Federation President Prince Nawwaf ibn Mohammed. Coach Khalid Al-Khalidi, said the team have been preparing for this championship for four years right after the end of the 14th Asian Games in Busa, Korea in 2002 where they won seven gold medals and one silver.
They would be looking to duplicate that feat in Doha although Al-Khalidi would not predict the number of medals the team will win.
Meantime, the Saudi national taekwondo team returned from a triumphant campaign in the 2nd Arabian Civil Taekwondo Championship in Libya. The team took the overall title thanks to the gold medals won by Yassir Al-Harbi, Hani Al-Matrafi and Ghali Al-Matrafi, silvers from Raafat Eid and Ali Juhar and bronzes from Mamdouh Al-Muwalad and Turki Al-Rashid.
The seven countries which entered the event in addition to Saudi Arabia and host Libya were Tunisia, Algeria, Jordan, Syria and Lebanon.
