Returning to Riyadh just a few days ago were the young Saudi athletes who competed at this month’s Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires. With their sights set on Tokyo 2020, the kingdom’s competing athletes bought home a ground breaking gold medal in karate, a bronze in weightlifting and another bronze in the 400m hurdles.
Of the nine athletes representing Saudi Arabia was Mohammed Al-Assiri, aged 17, who was awarded SR1 million by head of KSA’s General Sports Authority, Turki Al-Sheikh, for winning gold. The 17-year-old Karate champ made history after defeating Japanese Masaki Yamaoka with an 8-0 win.
Mohammed Al-Assiri
Yousif Jalaiden, the Saudi delegation’s chef de mission expressed his delight of the Saudi team’s achievements, “Of course, we are delighted. We came here hopeful and we leave with our best ever performance. We expected two medals but hoped for three, although we did not know which colors they would be. To get the three and a gold, that’s why we are so happy. Thanks to God, it’s been a great success.”
Half way through the events of the Youth Olympics came another victory by 16 year old Ali Yousef Al-Othman, who had finished third at the Asian Championships earlier this year. Taking on a dedicated training program with the help of his coach, Egyptian, Khaled Qur’any, Al-Othman bought home a bronze medal. The young athlete spoke to Arab News about his hopes to compete in the Olympic Games, “My dream was to win a medal at the Youth Olympics,” he said. “Now that dream has changed and I will work harder than ever to make Tokyo 2020 a reality.”
In the athletic events, Mohammed Al Muawi benefitted from the disqualification of Lindukhule Gora of South Africa in the men’s 400m hurdles. The event being Al Muawi’s first competition following the results of coaching by American former World Championships silver medalist Ryan Wilson, for over 5 months. “This medal is an amazing achievement for me,” said Al-Muawi, who was awarded SR200,000 by the General Sports Authority, “I need to thank my coach. I hope to keep working with him. He always gives me so much support. Next year I have the Asian Championships and some Arab races, but of course I am dreaming about Tokyo. I want to challenge the best in the world, guys like Karsten Warholm from Norway and Abderrahman Samba.”
Set to take place in Qatar next April, are the Asian Athletics Championships, prior to the IAAF World Championships which will take place in September 2019. Head of the Saudi General Sports Authority, Jalaiden confirmed the kingdom’s intent to continue with a winning streak and achieve more victories at this level, “We hope that we can take this success and build upon it ahead of Tokyo,” he said. “And also use the experience here to help the next generation of Saudi athletes who will compete at the 2022 Youth Olympics (in Senegal). The hard work starts all over again now.”
