Kuwait Shines: Opening the Medal Account at Asian Games

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HANGZHOU, China, Sept 25, (Agencies): Yousef Al- Shamlan, a prominent fencing champion, has proudly secured Kuwait’s inaugural medal at the 19th Asian Games, held in a Chinese city and scheduled to continue until October 8th.

Al-Shamlan clinched the coveted “bronze” medal in the sabre competition, having successfully reached the semi-finals. Regrettably, he faced defeat at the hands of his South Korean adversary, with a score of 10-15, thereby missing out on the opportunity to compete for the gold in the final. Al-Shamlan’s triumphant journey began with an impressive performance in the preliminary qualifiers, propelling him to the round of 32, where he outscored his Uzbekistani opponent, Matov, with a 15-10 victory.

In the round of 16, he continued his winning streak by defeating his teammate, Mohammed AbdulKarim, with a score of 15-11. The quarterfinals posed a formidable challenge against a player from Kazakhstan, but Al-Shamlan emerged victorious with a score of 15-10, ultimately securing his well-deserved bronze medal.

On a separate note, Hamad Al-Awadhi, the Secretary-General of the Kuwait Fencing Federation, expressed profound joy at Kuwait’s historic achievement of its inaugural medal at the 19th Asian Games, all thanks to the remarkable fencing skills of Yousef Al-Shamlan. Al-Awadhi dedicated this momentous accomplishment to His Highness the Amir of Kuwait, Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, His Highness the Crown Prince, Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, as well as to the President of the Kuwaiti Olympic Committee, Sheikh Fahd Nasser Al-Sabah, and the Director-General of the Public Authority for Sports, Yousef Al-Bidan.

He emphasized that this Asian triumph marks a historic milestone for the Kuwait Fencing Federation, underscoring the sport’s development in Kuwait, attributable to the unwavering dedication of the technical and administrative staff, led by the President of the Fencing Federation, AbdulKarim Al-Shamlan. Notably, this accomplishment signifies the first-ever medal secured by the Kuwaiti fencing team in the annals of the Asian Games and Kuwait’s initial medal at the 19th Asian Games.

The Kuwaiti national handball team achieved a momentous victory, defeating the Thai team with an impressive score of 49-19 in their inaugural match at the Asian Games. This resounding triumph earned the team their first two points in the group stage, alongside Thailand and China. Consequently, the Kuwaiti handball team has solidified its presence in the second round, where the top two teams from each group will progress to the semifinals. The Minister of Commerce and Industry and Minister of State for Youth Affairs, Mohamed Al-Ayoub, and the Director-General of the Public Authority for Sports, Yousef Al-Bidan, joined in celebrating the national handball team’s jubilation following their remarkable victory against Thailand.

On a different note, Qaid Al-Adwani, the Secretary-General of the Kuwait Handball Federation, commended the team’s performance in their inaugural match and acknowledged the intensified challenges awaiting them in subsequent stages. He also highlighted the inclusion of promising young talents within the team, diligently preparing for the forthcoming Asian Championship, which serves as a qualifier for the World Cup in Bahrain.

He extended his gratitude to the Kuwaiti Olympic Committee, under the leadership of Sheikh Fahd Al-Nasser, and the head of the delegation, Fatima Hayat, for their unwavering support, meticulous oversight, and provision of comfort for the Kuwaiti delegation in China. He extended his best wishes for success to all and expressed hopes for Kuwait to return with an extensive medal tally.

Abdulrahman Al-Fadhil, a member of our national rowing team, concluded his participation in the tournament, securing sixth place in the men’s singles event and establishing a new Kuwaiti record. In a separate discipline, athlete Fatima Al-Fuqan achieved fourth place in the consolation rounds of the women’s singles event. Notably, she became the first Kuwaiti female athlete to advance to the semifinals in the Asian Games, securing a place among the top 10 players in the overall Asian rankings (Top 10) and setting new personal Kuwaiti records. Additionally, our national taekwondo athlete Ali Al-Murshad concluded his participation in the competition after facing a 0-2 defeat against a member of the Chinese team in the preliminary rounds of the under 58 kg category.

The participation of our national shooting team in the 10m air rifle event has concluded, with Ali Al-Mutairi finishing in 41st place, Abdullah Al-Harbi in 48th place, and Saud Al-Subei in 51st place. Today, our national shooting team’s champions and heroines are set to make their debut in the Asian Games. The team consists of Abdullah Al-Rashidi, Mansour Al-Rashidi, and Abdulaziz Al-Saad, who will compete in the skeet competition. There are high expectations for the Kuwaiti shooting sports to secure medals during this stage.

Meanwhile,India set the first world record of the Asian Games in the 10-meter team rifle event. The new mark is 1,893.7 points. The old mark was set last month by a Chinese team. The record gave India its first gold medal at this year’s Asian Games. The Indian team members were Rudrankksh Patil, Divyansh Panwar and Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar. North Korea, appearing in its first international multi-sport event since the 2018 Asian Games, took bronze on Sunday in judo. Chae Kwanglin won the medal in the 60-kilogram class. The Asian Games involves about 12,400 competitors from 45 nations and territories with 481 gold medals on the line.

China won 11 of the 14 gold medals in rowing, a sport it has dominated in the Asian Games since it was introduced in 1982. The two days of rowing wrapped up on Monday. The first gold medal in the Asian Games was awarded on Sunday in rowing. China won that one. The race to the top the medal table is no race at all. Through the first 50 gold medals awarded, China has won 32.

It also has won 50 medals overall, far ahead Japan and South Korea, the main competition. China won almost 300 medals in Indonesia at the 2018 Asian Games and seems certain to surpass that total at home. The Asian Games offer a preview of what could soon be coming to the Olympics. That’s surely the case with cricket, which seems headed to the Olympic program as soon as the 2028 Los Angeles Games or the 2032 Brisbane Games.

India’s women won the gold medal on Monday at the Asian Games, defeating Sri Lanka in the 20-overs format. India scored 116-7 to beat Sri Lanka by 19 runs. The Sri Lankans scored 97-8. “On this kind of wicket, we thought even if we scored something near the 120-run mark, we could defend it because we have a strong bowling unit,” India cricketer Minnu Mani said.

In the bronze medal game, Bangladesh scored 65-5 to defeat Pakistan, which scored 64-9. Bangladesh won by five wickets with 10 balls remaining. “Our players had to hold on to their nerves and make it possible,” Bangladesh coach Hashan Tillakaratne said. The men’s cricket final at the Asian Games is Oct. 7, which could generate a massive television audience if archrivals India and Pakistan face off. That final, however, could be overshadowed by the start of the Cricket World Cup in India, which runs Oct. 5-Nov. 19.

The International Olympic Committee earlier this month delayed a decision about adding cricket and several other sports to the Los Angeles Games. The IOC has given no clear timetable about when a decision about cricket will be made. Cricket appeared in the Olympics for the only time in 1900 at the Paris Games. Cricket’s return would be a big source of television revenue for the IOC, which generates more than half of its billions in income from selling television rights.

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