Victories in Handball, Beach Volleyball, and Table Tennis

Paralympic Athletics Opens Bahrain’s Medal Record with Two Gold Medals at the "International School Games"

The Bahrain Paralympic Athletics Team celebrated a strong start on the first day of the athletics competitions within the "Bahrain 2024" International School Games, hosted by the Kingdom under the high royal patronage of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa. Running until 31 October, Bahrain’s teams have already captured two gold, one silver, and two bronze medals, marking the Kingdom’s first coloured medals at the tournament’s opening events held at Bahrain National Stadium.

The day was marked by standout performances, beginning with Basma Hajo, who took home the gold medal in the mace competition, underscoring her exceptional ability in this event. The second gold was won by Mohammed Al-Mudhahi in the same category, reinforcing the Bahraini team’s strength and competitive edge. Additionally, Ali Al Sagheer secured a silver medal in the javelin event, further boosting Bahrain’s medal tally. Runner Fatima Al Sayed earned a bronze in the 100m race, delivering a spirited and skillful performance that caught the audience’s attention, while Basma Hajo rounded out Bahrain’s medal wins with another bronze in the shot put event.

These initial accomplishments reflect the Bahraini Paralympic team’s drive and tenacity, setting the stage for further competition and success in the days ahead. The first day of athletics also included numerous qualifying events, including discus throw, shot put, triple jump, and high jump, as well as 100m, 800m, and 400m races for boys and girls, alongside the 2000m steeplechase, which infused the tournament with an atmosphere of excitement and anticipation.

Today, Saturday, the athletics and Paralympic athletics events continue, with a series of finals providing additional opportunities for the Bahraini team to excel and achieve further milestones. With the Kingdom’s athletes poised to continue their competition, all eyes remain on the team, eager to secure more medals and proudly fly the Bahraini flag in this esteemed international sporting event, surrounded by an enthusiastic audience and exemplary organisational arrangements that highlight the spirit of these games.

"Bahrain 1" Handball Team Leads Group 1 with Victory over Bulgaria

The Bahraini team (1) made an impressive debut in the handball competitions at the International School Games "Bahrain 2024," hosted by the Kingdom under the esteemed royal patronage of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, King of the country, may God protect and preserve him, continuing through October 31.

Bahrain displayed clear dominance in their first match against Bulgaria, ending the first half with an 11-8 lead. The team furthered its advantage in the second half, concluding with a decisive 31-15 victory, marking an excellent start in the competitions held at the Handball Federation Hall within the Sports Halls Complex in Umm Al Hassam.

In other matches, the French and Saudi Arabian national teams provided an intense showdown. France ultimately clinched victory by a single goal, winning 21-20. In the girls’ competition, Ukraine dominated Benin, securing a resounding 38-12 win. Romania also claimed victory over Iran, finishing 25-19, establishing both Ukrainian and Romanian teams as formidable contenders early in the tournament.

Quebec and Chinese Taipei Stand Out in Badminton Competitions

The Quebec (Canada) and Chinese Taipei teams delivered standout performances in the badminton events of the "Bahrain 2024" International School Games, held at Isa Town Sports Hall (D). In Group "D," Quebec (Canada) topped the group with three consecutive victories and no losses, amassing a total of 225 points against their competitors' 130. This dominant performance led to a perfect record of 15 matches won without any losses.

Azerbaijan secured second place in the same group, achieving two wins and one loss, with a total of 202 points against 153. The Saudi team placed third with one win and two losses, followed by the Indian team in fourth, having lost all their matches.

In Group "C," the Chinese Taipei team also emerged as group leaders, achieving an impressive 225 points against 70. Ukraine claimed second place with two wins and one loss, totalling 187 points, while Uganda took third place with one win and two losses. Bahrain finished fourth after a series of losses in their matches.

Brazil demonstrated a strong performance in the judo competitions at the "Bahrain 2024" International School Games, leading the medal count by securing the most gold and coloured medals in the sport. Held in Hall (C) at Isa Sports City, Brazil claimed three gold medals across different weight categories.

In the -55 kg weight class, Haik Darbinyan from Armenia won gold, with Moroccan Anis Aljiwi taking silver.

For the -60 kg category, Altynbek Kunyasbay of Kazakhstan secured gold, while Armenian Leva Sarabyan won silver.

In the -66 kg weight, Brazil’s Joao Lucas Lira earned first place with the gold, and Ukraine's Ilya Nazarenko followed, claiming silver.

In the women’s -40 kg category, Gao Yun Rui from Taiwan won the gold, with Brazilian Rarina Cassia da Costa in second place for silver. In the -44 kg division, Brazilian Yulina Rodrigues Yamasaki took gold, and Chinese Mingfen Shih secured silver. Brazilian Sara Maurer Mendes triumphed in the -48 kg category with a gold medal, followed by Taiwanese Tsiu-Ying Yang, who earned silver.

Official Medals for the “School Games” Unveiled

The Executive Committee of the “Bahrain 2024” School Sports Games has revealed the official medals designed for the event, uniquely capturing this international competition's spirit.

The front of each medal prominently displays the tournament’s logo, year, and location, symbolising Bahraini hospitality. 

On the reverse side, the medal showcases the International School Games Federation logo and the word “GYMNASIADE,” highlighting the dynamic spirit of friendly competition among students worldwide.

The Executive Committee expressed its pride in producing medals that honour school sports talents globally and reinforce Bahrain’s dedication to fostering international sports camaraderie. Additionally, these medals are intended as lasting mementoes for participants, encouraging sportsmanship and fair play.

This initiative aligns with the tournament's objective to inspire young people’s involvement in sports activities, promoting teamwork and healthy competition within the school sports community.

Mixed Results for Bahrain in Table Tennis and Padel Competitions

The Bahraini teams saw a varied start in the table tennis and padel competitions at the International School Games, with the Bahrain (2) table tennis team standing out with two wins and a single loss in its initial matches, held at Hall (B) in Isa Sports City.

However, other teams faced challenges; Bahrain (3), (4), and (5) teams each faced three losses in their respective groups (D) and (B).

In the Padel events hosted at the "Padel Plus" hall in Bahrain Complex, both Bahraini teams struggled to secure victories in their groups. Bahrain’s first team in Group B finished fourth, amassing 124 points but falling short against the UAE, Brazil, and Czech Republic, who collected a total of 225 points. Similarly, Bahrain’s second team in Group C faced tough competition, also finishing fourth, with a total of 50 points compared to 225 points from Chinese Taipei, Ukraine, and Uganda.

Hong Kong Leads Swimming Competitions with Three Gold Medals

Hong Kong clinched three gold medals, placing it at the top of the swimming competitions at the International School Games (Bahrain 2024). In events held at the Bahrain Swimming Federation pool in Khalifa City, Hong Kong achieved first place in the 4x100m freestyle for girls, as well as the 200m and 400m freestyle races.

In the boys’ 4x100m freestyle, China emerged victorious over Greece and Ukraine, while Hong Kong topped the girls' category, outpacing Greece and Mexico. In the 50m breaststroke, Turkey took first place for the boys, with China and Ukraine following. In the girls’ event, Greece secured first place, with Hong Kong and Poland in second and third, respectively.

For the 100m backstroke, Ukraine won the boys’ event, ahead of China and Hungary, while Romania took the girls' title, with Greece and Chinese Taipei trailing. In the 200m freestyle, Hong Kong triumphed in the girls’ race, surpassing Brazil and Hungary, while Brazil dominated the boys' event, capturing both first and second places, with China in third.

In the 400m races, Romania claimed first in the boys' category, followed by Greece and Hungary. Hong Kong topped the girls’ 400m event, with Brazil and Chinese Taipei placing second and third.

Bahrain 1 Secures Beach Volleyball Win Against Hungary

The Bahrain (1) beach volleyball team, represented by Ali Sultan and Ali Yaqoub, achieved an impressive victory over Hungary with a straight-set win, scoring 21-5 and 21-8 on the opening day of the "Bahrain 2024" School Sports Games at Isa Sports City.

Other Results:

• Bahrain (5) (Abbas Ehsan, Mohammed Haruna) lost to Estonia (1), 9-21, 11-21.
• Bahrain (6) (Jaafar Darwish, Ali Omran) lost to Hungary (1), 7-21, 8-21.
• Bahrain (4) (Mohammed Abdul Ali, Mohammed Al-Sindi) lost to China, 12-21, 8-21.
• Bahrain (3) (Jassim Madan, Ali Talaq) lost to Ukraine, 11-21, 11-21.
• Bahrain (2) (Mohammed Al-Haiki, Ali Thamer) lost to Estonia, 15-21, 15-21.