DOHA, 3 December 2006 — Saudi Arabia made a rocky start to the 15th Asian Games with losses in boxing and judo and setbacks in shooting and artistic gymnastics as the action went full blast in various sports disciplines yesterday here.
In the evening, however, the Kingdom volleyball team stemmed the rash of disappointing results by beating Kuwait in the men’s preliminary Pool A in five grueling sets 26-28, 25-14, 25-20, 23-25, 15-11.
The match lasted for an hour and 53 minutes.
Saudi team captain Al-Khaibary accounted for 15 points with Abdullah Al-Bahli as the team’s top point-getter with 25.
The Kingdom hope to rise from their reverses during the initial battles when they see action today in nine events.
The Saudis opened campaign in swimming and weightlifting, where they will be looking to win medals. Athletics has been a rich source of medals for Saudi Arabia but it does not start until Thursday. In the Busan Games the Kingdom athletics team won five gold and one silver medals.
On tap today for the swimmers are the morning qualifying heat in the 100 meters breaststroke, 100 meters backstroke and 50 meters backstroke where Saudi swimming sensation Ahmed Al-Kudmani is expected to lead the charge.
The Saudis are entered in the 62kg and 69 kg weight categories in weightlifting. They will also start battles in cycling, handball and continue play in volleyball against UAE, boxing and shooting.
Ibrahim Al-Bishi and Mabqhot Hadadi lost their preliminary bouts against boxers from powerhouse Uzbekistan and Chinese-Taipei.
Al-Bishi found Orzubek Shayimov simply too tough and lost by a second round stoppage in the 54 kg. bout while welterweight Hadadi fell to Yaochun Tsai by unanimous decision.
There was more bad news from artistic gymnastics, shooting and judo.
Amin Hassan Al-Halali and Maki H. Al-Mubiareek ranked 75th and 74th in the individual qualification in gymnastics. Halali scored 38.750 points from floor exercises, rings and vault while Mubiareek had 40.350.
Khalid Al-Anazi, Faiz Al-Anazi and Al-Thunayan. Thunayan were ruled out after the 10m air rifle qualification phase. Khalid’s scored 581 points, Faiz 569 and Thunayan 578.
In judo, Mohamed Al-Qurashi lost the +100kg round of 16 contest against Thai Tharlat Sutthiphun. Yahya Al-Zahrani also lost the -100kg round of 16 match against the Tajikistani Nematullo Asronkulov.
Despite the initial setback Mubiareek was satisfied with his effort.
“I think my performance today was good, however, I was hoping for a better result,” Al-Mubiareek, 23, told Arab News.
“I hope I can make up today’s result in the final. I expect at least one medal in the 15th Asian Games.”
Al-Mubiareek had been toughened by stints in international championships. However, the training and preparation was not as serious as this time and the period was longer.
“I was very well trained for the Asian Games this time. We were in a training camp in China before we came here.”
“My best performance today was on the vault as it is my favorite apparatus in the gymnastics artistic. I will take a medal in that discipline if God wills,” he said.
“I was so proud to win a medal in the Rajiv Ghandi Asian Championship in 2005 that took place in India.”
