JEDDAH, 23 July 2007 — Saudi Arabia are fielding three teams in the GCC Judo Championship to be held in Abu Dhabi. The Saudi delegation is to leave today for the two-day meet that starts on Wednesday.
To banner the boys’ team are Matoug Al-Nais in (35kilos) weight category, Ziyad Al-Inzi in (40kilos), Anas Datoum in (45kilos), Mohannad Al-Harbi in (50kilos), Abdulrahman Al-Hakami in (55kilos) and Sulaiman Hammad in (60kilos). The Saudi youth team include Ali Al-Minyawi in (55kilos), Fadi Al-Duhaim or Mohammed Fairaq in (60kilos), Mohannad Al-Shareif in (66kilos), Ali Al-Maghrabi in (73kilos), Ibrahim Al-Frayidi in (81kilos), Ammar Al-Doussari in (90kilos), Mahdi Ayash in (100kilos), and Majid Madani (+100kilos). Eissa Majrshi (60kilos), Abulrahman Al-Hazmi in (66kilos), Yassir Ayyad (73kilos), Turki Muneir (81kilos), Naif Mizio (90kilos), and Mohammed Qurashi (+100kilos) make up the men’s team.
Saudis Seeing Action in 17th Asian Athletics
JEDDAH, 23 July 2007 — Saudi Arabia are sending a full complement of 27 athletes to the 17th Asian Athletics Championship in Amman Jordan. Set for July 25-29 the event will be staged at the Amman International Stadium. To carry the Saudi colors in the regional meet, where stiff competition is expected to come from powerhouse China and Japan, are the following: Yehya Habeeb, Yehya Gahis, and Mahir Al-Brahim (100 meters), Hamid Al-Bishi, Adil Aseeri, and Mohammed Al-Bishi (200m), Hamdan Al-Bishi, Ismael Al-Sibyani, and Younis Al-Houssa (400m), Mohammed Al-Salihi and Ali Al-Diraan in (800m), Mohammed Shawein, Saad Al-Subayi, and Imad Noor (1, 500m), Ali Al-Amri, and Sorour Al-Asmari (3,000m hurdles), Ahmed Al-Muwwalad, and Sami Al Haidar (110m hurdles), Bandar Sharahili, Idrees Hawasawi, and Mohammed Daak (400m hurdles), Jameel Qasim, and Hashim Al-Aqabi in (high jump), Mohammed Al-Khuwalidi, and Ahmed Marzoug (long jump), Sultan Al-Hibshi, and Saad Al-Yami (shot put), Saad Al-Baqmi (discus throw), and Hamdan Al-Mubarak in (hammer throw).
Meanwhile, Sultan Al-Hebshi set a new Asian record in Men’s shot put when he threw the iron ball to a distance 20.61 meters in the Ukrainian Championships, which was held in Donetsk at the Olympiyskiy Sports Complex from July 3 to 8. The throwing specialists training in Ukraine, track and field athletes training in the US, long distance runners training in Morocco, and the rest of the athletics team in training camp in Poland will gather in Amman on July 22.
Water Polo Junior Team Training
JEDDAH, 23 July 2007 — Saudi national water polo youth team moved to Jeddah on Saturday to begin another 20 days training camp having finished their first 20 days of training in the Eastern Province under the first team assistant coach Vlado. A third training camp has bee set in Al-Jabal Al-Aswad where they play friendlies for 20 days. The trainings are in preparation for the Arab Water Polo Championship for youth to be held in Egypt from Sept. 4 to 7. Team captain Ahmed Al-Shammari, the 2007 best Saudi player, said, “we are very optimistic and believe the cup would be a toss-up between us and hosts Egypt.” For the past three or four years Egypt remained the toughest rivals for Saudi Arabia, said Saudi water polo national team manager Mohammed Ghallab. But he added, “we believe in our team performance and wish them the best.”
Saudi Basketball Refs and Coaches in UK
JEDDAH, 23 July 2007 — Five basketball referees and two coaches are in the UK for a one-week training camp under the auspices of Memorandum of Understanding between Saudi Arabia and the United Kingdom in the field of sports signed in 1987. The referees are Mansour Al-Amri, Abdulhadi Al-Shihri, Badr Al-Moutawwa, Hisham Al-Qasim and Abdulaziz Al-Selayem. The coaches are Adil Al-Ahsaai and Salman Abdullah. —
