CAIRO, 23 November 2007 — The medal machine that is the 36-strong athletics team gathered pace as Saudi Arabia added six more medals on the second day yesterday of track and field competition in the 11th Pan Arab Games in Egypt.
In addition, another silver medal added to the Kingdom tally on the day courtesy of the athlete with special needs Bassam Al-Hawal, who lifted 197.5 kilograms at the close of the weightlifting contest.
Discus throw star Sultan Al-Dawoudi spearheaded the Saudi charge winning the gold medal after throwing the disc over a distance of 58.63 meters. Another Saudi favorite for the gold medal, runner Hamdan Al-Beshi, settled for the silver medal in the 400 meters in 46.50 seconds with further silvers coming from Mohammed Al-Salihi in the 800 meters in 1 minute 46.64 seconds, Yahya Gahis in the 100 meters and Ali Al-Zaki in the 110-m hurdles in 14.60 seconds. The lone bronze in athletics came from Sami Al-Haidar in the 110-m hurdles.
“Thank God in the last three years Saudi athletes started to post excellent and leading records,” Al-Dawoudi told Arab News.
Al-Dawoudi said it was not an easy competition considering the Qatari athlete was performing very well but he was glad he got the gold.
Ahmed Deeb of Qatar took the silver with an effort of 57.76 meters and an Egyptian hurled the disc over a distance of 57.74 meters to clinch the bronze.
Though he was disappointed Al-Beshi refused to put the blame on his injury for missing out on the gold. “For me I’d rather play and get the silver instead of looking for excuses including injury,” he said. Al-Beshi said the Sudanese who won first place was tough and that he will work harder to do better in future participation. Al-Beshi is also entered in the 4X400m relay here.
“I lost the gold but was not defeated yet,” he stressed. The gold medal winner of this event clocked 46.16 seconds, while Tunisian Rida Ahmed took the bronze in 46.77 seconds. Elsewhere, the Saudi bowlers placed fifth after the first session in the five-man team event. Though they fell behind after the first block of three games, they managed to get back on track and secure a good score to advance to the second round today.
Brothers Bader and Hassan Al-Sheikh, Ahmed Al-Hithayyan, Faisal Sugati and Faisal Juraifani banner the Saudi team. The team struck with the bronze on Wednesday in the trios after they went without a medal in the singles and doubles events.
Bader Al Al-Sheikh said the competition is indeed very tough. “We were training very hard for it and though we did not do well in the beginning we will try to at least get out with one gold medal,” he said.
