?The Kingdom of Bahrain delegation to the 17th Asian Games, being held in Incheon, in South Korea, signed off with an additional gold medal yesterday (Friday, October 3).
Marking their last day at the Games, which officially concludes today (October 5), Hassan Mahboob came on top in the men’s marathon to give Bahrain its ninth gold medal at the Games, setting up a new gold medal record for Bahrain in the history of the games.
Bahrain completed their participation at the Gams with 19 medals in total, including nine gold, six silver and three bronze.
Hassan Mahboob won gold for Bahrain after seeing off a spirited challenge from Japan’s Kohei Matsumara.
Mahboob crossed the line in two hours, 12 minutes and 38 seconds, one second ahead of Mastumara and four ahead of another Japanese runner, Yuki Kawauchi, in third.
Mahboob is one of a string of Bahraini runners who have dominated athletics at the Asian Games. He has previously run mainly in distance track events and said the marathon had taken a lot out of him.
Entering the Asiad Main Stadium on the final leg of the 42km race, Mahboob stretched his legs and quickly dropped Kawauchi from contention, but Mastumara hung on and looked poised to mount a challenge with 200m to go.
But when Mahboob kicked again 150m from home Mastumara had no response, the Bahraini runner lifting his arms to the sky and kissing his vest as he crossed the line.
Bahrain also dominated the other marathon for women held on Thursday, when Eunice Jepkirui Kirwa clocked two hours, 25 minutes and 37 seconds to clinch the competition’s gold medal.
President of the Bahrain Athletics Association and Bahrain delegation head Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa followed up Mahboob’s progress at the marathon and was congratulated by Dong-Jin Oh, President of the Korean Association of Athletics Federation, as well as other high-ranking sports officials.
Shaikh Khalid, who returned home yesterday after the marathon, was accompanied by Bahrain Olympic Committee general secretary Abdulrahman Askar, committee board members Shaikha Hayat bint Abdulaziz Al Khalifa, Abdulhakim Al Shino, Dr Khalid Al Alawi and Ali Isaaqi.