DOHA, 6 December 2006 — Doubles gold medalists brothers Bader and Hassan Al-Sheikh team up with Faisal Al-Juraifani to try and win another bowling medal for Saudi Arabia when they return to the Qatar Bowling Center for the second six-game series block in the men’s trios final in the Asian Games bowling competition.
Out of the 37 three-man teams that played the first block of six games yesterday the Saudi trio were in seventh position on total pinfalls of 1,867, Hassan hitting an average of 196, Jurafaini 203.7 and Bader 222.7.
That put them 131 pins down on leaders Malaysia (1,998) and only 122 on second-ranked Philippines (1,989).
The second Saudi trio of Ahmad Saad Al-Hdyan, Faisal Sugati and Yousif Akbar were way down in the standings in 28th spot after compiling a six-game series of 1,696.
There will be two squad times in today’s session at 1 p.m. and 5 p.m.
“The players are feeling great after they got the gold medal in men’s doubles final ,” said Saudi Bowling Federation President Ibrahim Al-Juraifani.
“That will give them a strong push in doing a good job in the trio finals tomorrow,” Al-Juraifani added.
On the fifth day of the Kingdom’s Asian Games campaign, gymnast Maki Al-Mubiareek competes in the final of the men’s vault at 2 p.m. at the Aspire Hall. “I’m proud that I’m the only Arab gymnast to reach the finals” said Al-Mubiareek yesterday.
“I hope to win the silver or bronze medal if God wills,” he added.
Mubiareek had reason to aim for a medal-winning performance by virtue of his bronze medal finish in the floor exercise and vault in the West Asian Games 2005 in Doha.
Al-Mubiareek did his last training yesterday in his favorite apparatus. The handball team continue their men’s preliminary league group C match against Uzbekistan at 4 p.m. at Al-Gharrafa Indoor Hall. The handball team are confident of doing a good job in the game today. “What is important for me and my team is to win and we are ready for any opponent,” said Abdullah Al-Dossari, 32, a defender. Hussain Al-Ekhwan, his teammate, agreed.
The Saudi handball team won the bronze medal in the West Asian Games.
The men’s water polo begins preliminary round matches with the Saudis going up against Hong Kong in a Group B match at the Al-Sadd Aquatic Center.
The Saudi water polo team finished in the top 8 in the 2002 Asian Games.
“I think we have no chance of winning against Saudi Arabia tomorrow as Hong Kong is new in the field of water polo and is not yet ready for the competition,” said Alvin Sallay, chief sports writer at South China Morning Post newspaper.
Yasin Bader Ahmed Alassiri, Jaber Majrashi and Ayman Al-Habriti are the Saudi cyclists competing in the men’s team time trial in Al-Khor Road at 12:30 p.m. Bader ranked 13th in the individual time trial yesterday.
