DOHA, 12 December 2006 — With Saudi Arabia entered in five more events at the close today of the athletics competition, chances are the five golds they won in the 2002 Busan Games will be matched if not surpassed.
As of yesterday’s count, the Kingdom national track and field team raised their Asian Games gold tally to four when strongman Sultan Aldulmajeed Al-Hebshi threw a personal best 20.42 meters to win the gold in the men’s shot put.
The riders look to add the team show jumping gold when they return to the Equestrian Jumping Arena for individual round A.
Also, the four-man karate team arrived from Riyadh on Sunday with Thamer Al-Malki the first to see action today in men’s Kumite -55kg 1/8 final against Jaime Godinho Soares from Timor Leste at Qatar Sports Club Indoor Hall.
Mohammed Majrashi, 23, goes for medal in the men’s triple-jump final at 4:15pm at the Khalifa Stadium. Majrahsi’s personal best record is 16.54, way off the Asian record of 17.35 held by Kazakhstani Oleg Sakirkin.
Ali Al-Jadani, 29, is entered in the men’s javelin throw final where he will attempt to contest the Asian record of 87.60 set by the Japanese Kazuhiro Mizoguchi in San Jose, USA 1989.
Yahya Habeeb, newly-crowned Asia’s fastest man, will anchor the Saudi men’s 4X100m relay team that also includes Mohammed Al-Fardan, Yahya Al-Ghahes and Salem Al-Yami.
Ali Al-Amry, 21, will run the men’s 5000m final.
And to cap the Kingdom’s unbelievable performance is the men’s 4x400m relay final in which gold medalist Hamdan Awdah Al-Bishi is expected to run the anchor leg. Supporting him are his cousin Hamed Al-Bishi, Mohammed Al-Salhi, and Ismail Al-Sabani.
“I expect another gold medal in the 4x400m race God willing,” said Hamdan.
Prince Abdullah Al-Saud,22, and his mare Saudia and Khaled Al-Eid,37, and his mount Al-Riyadh have both qualified to ride in the individual Round A in show jumping.
