August 2024 – Page 3 – Arabian Records (1st post : Eid Al Fitr – 01st Shawwal 1439 (AH) / 15th June 2018 ) / (BETA testing – Research

ALGERIA : PARIS OLYMPICS 2024 : Djamel Sedjati takes bronze in 800m final as Algeria have their best Olympics

Runner clinches third place and joins gold medallists Kelif and Nemour.

Djamel Sedjati won a bronze medal in the 800m final in Paris on Saturday to help Algeria to achieve their most successful Olympic Games.

He joins gold medal winners Kaylia Neymour and Imane Khelif on the podium at these Games.

Pre-race favourite Sedjati was beaten by Kenya’s Emmanuel Wanyonyi and world champion Marco Arop of Canada at the Stade de France on Saturday night.

Wanyonyi clocked a personal best of 1 min 41.19 secs, with Arop taking silver just one-hundredth of a second behind in a North American record. Sedjati finished in 1:41.50.

After the race, Wanyonyi, 20, said: “This race was tough for me. I felt more pressure because I knew it’s not easy. Sedjati is not easy (to beat), he’s a tough guy.”

Sedjati said: “I won the bronze medal, but I wanted the gold medal.

“It was a very fast race. I didn’t start very well, but I’m very happy with the medal after the medals from Kaylia Nemour in gymnastics and Imane Khelif in boxing.

“I’m very proud to bring home the third medal for Algeria. It’s one of the fastest Olympic finals in history, with four runners on 1:41. I already did my maximum to ensure I got on the podium. I’m happy with this bronze medal.”

Boxer Khelif defeated China’ Yang Liu to win the final of the women’s 66kg division to take gold on Friday night.

The 25-year-old, who has seen her campaign in Paris overshadowed by a gender controversy, defied her critics as she comprehensively outboxed Yang to earn a richly deserved unanimous decision in front of thousands of noisy Algerian fans at Roland Garros.

Khelif, who only started boxing eight years ago, scored again and again with her jab and backed it up with her signature straight right hand as she swept all three rounds 5-0 for the biggest win of her career.

“I’m very happy. For eight years this has been my dream and I’m now the Olympic champion and gold medallist,” said Khelif. “I’ve worked for eight years, no sleep, eight years tired. Now I’m Olympic champion.

“I want to thank all the people who have come to support me. All the people from Algeria and all the people at my base. I want to thank all the team, my coach. Thank you so much.”

Nemour produced “the performance of her life” to become the first Algerian and African to win an Olympic gymnastics medal with gold on the uneven bars on Sunday.

The 17-year-old took the title ahead of China’s Qiu Qiyuan, with American Sunisa Lee snatching bronze with the final performance of the session. Defending champion Nina Derwael of Belgium finished fourth.

“I’m so shocked, it’s the dream of all my life. I can’t believe it has happened, I’m speechless,” said Nemour.

source/content: thenationalnews.com (headline edited)

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Algeria’s Djamel Sedjati with his bronze medal after the 800m final at Stade de France on August 10, 2024. Getty Images

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ALGERIA

MOROCCO : PARIS OLYMPICS 2024 : Morocco Celebrates Gold as Soufiane El Bakkali Triumphs in 3,000m Steeplechase

Morocco’s Mohamed Tindouflt finished in 12th place.

In a spectacular finale at the Paris 2024 Olympics, Moroccan runner Soufiane El Bakkali delivered an unsurprising and outstanding performance, securing the gold in the men’s 3,000m steeplechase.

El Bakkali crossed the finish line first with a time of 8:06:05.

El Bakkali demonstrated remarkable resilience during the race, initially starting in fifth and fourth positions.

Despite the challenging beginning, the Moroccan runner advanced through the field.

Throughout the rounds, Ethiopian runners dominated the competition.

El Bakkali however moved between third and fourth positions and also faced other challenges that saw him in seventh position, but he surged forward in the final minutes to do what he has always done for the past years.

Meanwhile, Mohamed Tindouft finished in 12th place. But the Moroccan representative did also show positive signs and was able to lead the race in the last minutes.

The second position was clinched by the US runner, Kenneth Rooks with a time of 8:06:41. Kenya’s Kibiwot was fourth and was followed by Tunisia’s Jhinaoui.

Soufiane Bakkali’s historic podium finish has brought immense pride and celebration to Morocco, marking a significant achievement after several heartbreaking defeats and early exits by Moroccan representatives at the Paris Olympics.

El Bakkali won two gold medals at the World Athletics Championships, triumphing in both 2022 and 2023.

His long list of achievements includes a third-place finish at the 2019 African Games and a second-place finish at the 2018 African Championships.

At the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, El Bakkali secured gold in his specialty event with a time of 8:08.90, finishing ahead of Ethiopia’s Girma and Kenya’s Benjamin Kigen.

source/content: moroccoworldnews.com (headline edited)

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Morocco’s champion Soufiane Bakkali

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MOROCCO

TUNISIA : PARIS OLYMPICS 2024 : Firas Katoussi beats Barkhordari to give Tunisia taekwondo gold

Firas Katoussi of Tunisia created history as he defeated Iranian fighter Mehran Barkhordari, who upset Alessio in the quarterfinals, to claim the gold medal in the 80kg category of Taekwondo at the Paris Olympics.

In a cagey first round, the taller Katoussi did a very good job at thwarting Nickolas’ attacks and won it by a judge decision. Nickolas took all the risks in the second round, but Katoussi landed a body kick with only two seconds left that sealed his victory.

Nickolas began his tournament against Farzad Mansouri — an athlete from Afghanistan who competes for the Refugee Olympic Team.

Nickolas looked pumped as he entered the venue. He shouted and made a few dance moves, then threw himself into the fight.

On the eve of his taekwondo competition at the Paris Olympics, after slumbering for two weeks on a cardboard bed at the athletes village, Nickolas made sure he would sleep like a baby.

He booked a room in a hotel near the Grand Palais, the lavish building where taekwondo events are held.

“I slept on these cardboard beds, and then last night I had one of the best sleeps of my life,” Nickolas said.

The improved bedding did not have the desired effect. The 23-year-old Nickolas looked well-rested and started his journey on a high-octane pace but lost in the semifinals of the 80-kilogram tournament. Nickolas was then defeated by world champion Simone Alessio in a bronze-medal contest.

The US team did not end the day empty-handed, though. Teammate Kristina Teachout, who was beaten in the quarterfinals of the women’s 67-kilogram division, recovered in style to win a bronze medal after going through a repechage phase.

“I’ll probably cry about it later, but I’m so grateful,” Teachout said. “This is the culmination of everything that’s important to me and all that I’ve put into my craft.”

The 18-year-old Teachout grabbed a US flag and celebrated her medal by running around the octagonal-shaped combat area, warmly embracing her coach.

Teachout had defeated Anastasija Zolotic – the first US woman to win a gold medal in the sport in Tokyo – at the US Olympic trials.

Like Nickolas, Alessio failed to reach the final. He was given a second chance through repechage and set up a meeting with Nickolas that pitted the top two ranked athletes in the category against each other.

Nickolas, who lost to Alessio in the final at last year’s world championships, harassed his rival from the start with relentless attacking moves but could not find his target. Alessio was clinical. The Italian landed two kicks in each round and that was again to once again deny Nickolas.

“He’s a monster in the division and other people have gotten him and I just haven’t clicked that code yet,” said Nickolas, who started taekwondo when he was 3. “I’ve failed. And that’s what happened and it hurts.”

Teachout started her day with a bang in the women’s 67-kilogram event by taking out world champion Magda Wiet-Henin of France. But the 18-year-old from Palm Bay, Florida, then lost a tight encounter with Viviana Marton of Hungary,

She then beat Ruth Gbagbi of Ivory Coast in repechage and fought Song Jie of China for bronze. Song was conservative but Teachout seized all of her few opportunities in the first round and continued to apply a relentless pressure to win in two rounds.

“I’ve always had the harder route in sports,” said Teachout, who was slowed by a hamstring injury in her first year. “And even getting (this bronze). It wasn’t the best, it was the hardest route to get a medal. Having to go through the motions of losing and, you know, get it back together and fight. So yeah, it’s been an emotional journey.”

Agencies

source/content: gulftoday.ae (headline edited)

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Tunisia’s Firas Katoussi (centre) celebrates with his coaches after winning the gold medal in the men’s 80kg Taekwondo final match. Associated Press

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TUNISIA

QATAR: PARIS OLYMPICS 2024 : Qatari Champion Mutaz Barshim Wins Men’s High Jump Bronze

Qatari champion Mutaz Barshim won the bronze medal in the Men’s High Jump at the Olympic Games Paris 2024.

Barshim successfully cleared a height of 2.34 meters, his best performance this season, securing third place behind American Shelby McEwen, who won the silver medal with a height of 2.36 meters, giving the best performance of his career, and New Zealand’s Hamish Kerr, who won the gold medal with a height of 2.36 meters.

With this achievement, Barshim became the first high jump athlete to ever win four medals across four Olympic Games, having won the gold medal at the Tokyo 2020, in addition to silver medals at Rio de Janeiro 2016 and London 2012.

Mutaz Barshim won Qatar its first medal at the Olympic Games Paris 2024 and has become the most decorated Qatari athlete in Olympic history, with a total of four medals. (QNA)

source/content: qna.org.qa (headline edited)

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QATAR

EGYPT: PARIS OLYMPICS 2024: Egyptian Sara Samir Wins Silver Medal at Paris 2024 Olympics in Weightlifting

Egyptian weightlifter Sara Ahmed Samir has once again made Egypt proud, securing a silver medal in the 81kg Women’s Final at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Samir lifted a total of 268kg, marking an incredible achievement in her illustrious career and reinforcing her position as one of the sport’s leading athletes.

The 26-year-old’s performance included a snatch of 117kg and a clean and jerk of 151kg, surpassing her previous personal best of 148kg, which she set at the 2022 World Championships in Colombia.

Despite falling short of the top podium spot, Samir’s silver medal adds to her already impressive collection, which includes a bronze medal from the 2016 Rio Olympics and a gold medal from the 2022 World Championships.

The gold medal in the 2024 Paris Olympics event was claimed by Norway’s Solfrid Eila Amena Koanda, who set a new Olympic record with a total lift of 275kg, comprising 121kg in the snatch and 154kg in the clean and jerk. Ecuador’s Neisi Patricia Dájomes Barrera took home the bronze, narrowly missing out on the silver with a total lift of 267kg.

Samir’s journey in the final was marked by determination and resilience. After successfully lifting 113kg and 117kg in her first two snatch attempts, she narrowly missed out on her third attempt at 119kg. In the clean and jerk, she successfully lifted 146kg on her first attempt but was unable to complete her final lift at 155kg, which would have secured her the gold.

This silver medal represents Egypt’s second medal at the Paris 2024 Olympics, following Mohamed El-Sayed’s bronze in the men’s epee individual fencing event.

source/content: egyptianstreets.com (headline edited)

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EGYPT

BAHRAIN – PARIS OLYMPICS 2024: Silver for Bahrain’s Salwa Eid Naser in women’s 400m at Paris 2024

Bahrain’s Salwa Eid Naser said she had mixed emotions after claiming a silver medal in the women’s 400m on her Olympic debutdebut.

Eid Naser clocked 48.53 seconds on a wet night in Paris but was blown away by Marileidy Paulino of the Dominican Republic who raced to gold in an Olympic record time of 48.17.

The Bahraini sprinter looked disappointed after the race but was never truly in the hunt for gold while also comfortably seeing off bronze medallist Natalia Kaczmarek of Poland who finished in 48.98.

Eid Naser has the full collection of medals – gold, silver and bronze – from World Championships but this was her first Olympics. She missed Tokyo because of a controversial ban for missed doping tests. The Court of Arbitration for Sport overturned the ban and she has made up for missed time with an Olympic medal.

But she said: “I cannot even begin to put into words what this means. I am happy and at the same time I am sad.”

Paulino, the gold medallist, said: “This is the best of my life, absolutely it is. I saw myself as very strong, I’ve worked so hard and now I have an Olympic record.

“For me this gold medal means a lot. It was the medal that I needed to complete an Olympic cycle and it is a medal that my country needed. The truth is that it was worth it because I think it will inspire many young people who are in a precarious situation. Many doors will open for them because of me.”

The Dominican entered the race as a big favourite having won gold at last year’s world championships in Budapest. However, this title, won in front of a crowd who cheered her all the way down the home stretch, will rank as the greatest of her career.

Meanwhile, Team USA’s Rai Benjamin won gold in the men’s 400m hurdles at the Stade de France as he saw off his ‘Big Three’ rivals.

The race was billed as a shoot-out between Benjamin, Norway’s Karsten Warholm and Brazil’s Alison dos Santos. And so it proved as they all grabbed a medal.

For Benjamin it was gold in 46.46secs, with Warholm (47.06) second and Dos Santos (47.26) third.

Qatar’s Abderrahman Samba came in sixth but was never in the mix for a medal.

Elsewhere, Egypt’s Ahmed Elgendy looked in fine form as he set an Olympic record points total in qualifying for the final of the men’s modern pentathlon.

Elgendy, the silver medallist from Tokyo, won his semi-final with a record tally of 1516 points.

The 24-year-old competed in fencing, riding, swimming and laser run, and topped his section with the best aggregate performance. He did struggle somewhat in the showjumping but more than made up for it elsewhere.

His compatriot Mohanad Shaban sneaked into the final. Shaban finished ninth in the second semi-final with only the top nine progressing to Saturday’s main event.

The final begins at 7:30pm UAE time on Saturday, with the climax being a laser run which starts at 9.10pm.

source/content: thenationalnews.com (headline edited)

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Women’s 400m silver medalist Salwa Eid Naser, of Bahrain, wipes away tears while standing on the podium. AP

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BAHRAIN

UNESCO adds 3 Arab sites to World Heritage List

The UNESCO World Heritage Committee, during its 46th session in New Delhi, India, announced the inclusion of three new Arab sites to the World Heritage List. The sites are the Monastery of Saint Hilarion/Tell Umm Amer in Palestine, Umm el Jimal City in Jordan, and the Cultural Landscape of Al Faw Archaeological Area in Saudi Arabia.

The Monastery of Saint Hilarion in Gaza is one of the oldest historical sites in the Middle East, while Umm el Jimal in Jordan showcases a Nabataean-Roman-Byzantine character and is notable for its inhabitants’ resilience in a water-scarce region. Saudi Arabia’s Al Faw Archaeological Area, a significant ancient human settlement, is now the eighth site in the Kingdom to be registered on the World Heritage List.

Prince Badr bin Farhan, Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Culture, emphasised that the inscription of Al Faw aligns with Saudi Vision 2030, highlighting the Kingdom’s commitment to preserving global human heritage and promoting national identity.

“The Kingdom recognizes the importance of heritage, its preservation, and its promotion worldwide in order to establish a solid foundation for the present, chart a roadmap for future endeavors, and support the Heritage Commission in developing national heritage assets,” the Prince said.

Shaikh Khalifa bin Ahmed Al Khalifa, President of the Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities and Chairman of the Arab Regional Centre for World Heritage (ARC-WH), congratulated the three countries on their achievement. He highlighted that this inclusion underscores the importance of Arab heritage on a global scale and reflects the growing interest in preserving the region’s cultural and natural heritage.

The inclusion of Tell Umm Amer was also simultaneously added to the List of World Heritage in Danger, amid the brutal genocidal war being waged on Gaza by the Israeli occupation forces.

source/content: middleeastmonitor.com (headline edited)

ARAB POETRY, SHARJAH : The launch of the ’03rd Arab Poetry Forum’ in Senegal

Under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, and as part of the Poetry Forums in Africa initiative, the Republic of Senegal witnessed the launch of the third edition of the Arab Poetry Forum, which was organized by the Department of Cultural Affairs at the Department of Culture in Sharjah in cooperation with the Senegal Literary Club with the participation of 13 poets, both male and female.

The forum was held in the capital Dakar yesterday and will continue for two days, with the attendance of Dr. Fadil Gueye, President of the Senegal Literary Club, representatives of Senegalese cultural and literary institutions, and a group of poets and writers.

Mohammed Al Hadi Sal, the forum coordinator, thanked His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah for his continuous support for Arab culture and poetry, stressing that this support had a major impact on the success of the forum and the strengthening of cultural relations until the forum became a vital platform for the creativity of poets in Senegal.

Dr. Fadhel Ghay said, “The forum reflects the spirit of cooperation and constructive cultural interaction between peoples, and confirms the pioneering role of His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah in supporting Arabic culture and literature.”

He pointed out the importance of strengthening cultural ties between the Arab world and Africa, through organizing such events, which contribute to the exchange of ideas and creativity, expressing his thanks to the Emirate of Sharjah for its great and continuous support for Arabic poetry and literature.

Fadel Gueye stressed that the Arab Poetry Forum in Senegal is the most important event in the country, and one of the most prominent cultural and literary events that celebrate Arab poetry and bring together poets and intellectuals from the Republic of Senegal.

The forum included poetry sessions and a critical symposium entitled “Senegalese Arabic Literature (Poetry and Novel) between Reality and Hope,” which discussed the development of Arabic literature in Senegal, its future prospects, the difficulties facing Senegalese writers, and the challenges that hinder the spread of their works, in addition to reviewing ways to enhance the presence of Senegalese Arabic literature at the local and international levels.

The poetry readings addressed various topics and diverse purposes, such as identity, belonging, and coexistence between cultures.

At the end of the first day of the forum, awards were distributed to 13 participants (poets and lecturers), in honor of their creativity and contributions to enriching Arab and African literature, amidst wide acclaim from the attendees and participants, stressing the importance of continuing such events that strengthen cultural ties between the Arab world and Africa.

source/content: wam.ae (headline edited)

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SHARJAH, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES (U.A.E)

MOROCCAN Noor Slaoui: 1st Arab woman to represent MENA in equestrian sports at Paris 2024 Olympics

Noor Slaoui, a 29-year-old Moroccan, has become the first Arab female equestrian to represent Africa and the Middle East after qualifying for the Paris 2024 Olympics, it was announced on Wednesday.

The professional rider has officially qualified for the Olympics, becoming one of two representatives from Africa and the Middle East, a media statement said.

Slaoui’s journey to this prestigious event marks a significant milestone in her career and for the region’s equestrian sports.

The 29-year-old is dedicated to promoting the development of equestrian sports in the MENA region, with the aim of inspiring greater representation in the coming years.

“I am honored and excited to represent my region at the Paris 2024 Olympics. This journey has been a testament to the dedication and support of my team and the incredible bond with my horses,” she said.

Slaoui said that she looked forward to challenging herself and showcasing the talent from the MENA region on the Olympic stage.
“While medals are a goal, my focus is on building a strong foundation for success in the years to come,” she said.

Her passion for horses began in childhood while exploring Morocco’s landscape on horseback. This early love of animals and nature evolved into a dream of making a career of her equestrian interests.

After attaining her baccalaureate at 18, Slaoui took a gap year and moved to France. She earned her riding instructor certification at the National Riding School in Saumur, setting her on the path to equestrian sports and competition.

Later, she moved to the UK to pursue her journey and studied political science at the University of Warwick. It was during that time that when she discovered eventing, often described as the “triathlon of equestrian sports.”

Working with professional riders to refine her skills, the Moroccan managed to balance her practical experience and academic studies.

After meeting her coach and business partner, Deborah Fellous, on graduation they launched her professional riding career, representing group F — “Africa & Middle East” — on the international stage.

Currently, they manage a professional yard in England, home to 17 horses, dedicated to breeding, training and preparing them for top-tier competitions.

Over the past seven years, Slaoui has achieved several notable milestones, becoming the first Moroccan female rider to compete internationally in eventing, and representing the MENA region at the World Championships for Young Horses in 2022 and 2023.

She also participated in Nations Cup events and secured top 10 finishes in 4-star competitions.

source/content: arabnews.com (headline edited)

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Noor Slaoui, a 29-year-old Moroccan, has become the first Arab female equestrian to represent Africa and the Middle East after qualifying for the Paris 2024 Olympics. (Supplied)

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MOROCCO

ALGERIA : PARIS OLYMPICS 2024 : Algerian Boxer Imane Khelif clinches medal at Paris Olympics 2024 after gender outcry

Khelif defeated Anna Luca Hamori of Hungary 5:0 in the quarterfinals of the women’s 66-kilogram bout
She will win at least a bronze medal after defeating Hamori for the second victory of her tumultuous second trip to the Olympics

Boxer Imane Khelif of Algeria clinched a medal Saturday at the Paris Olympics following days of sharp scrutiny and online abuse as misconceptions about her gender have exploded into a larger clash about identity in sports.

Khelif defeated Anna Luca Hamori of Hungary 5:0 in the quarterfinals of the women’s 66-kilogram bout.

Khelif will win at least a bronze medal after defeating Hamori for the second victory of her tumultuous second trip to the Olympics.

Khelif was faced international scrutiny after the banned International Boxing Association claimed Khelif failed an unspecified eligibility test for women’s competition last year. She then won her opening bout Thursday when opponent Angela Carini of Italy tearfully abandoned the fight after just 46 seconds.

The unusual ending became a sharp wedge to drive into an already prominent divide over gender identity and regulations in sports, drawing comments from the likes of former US President Donald Trump, “Harry Potter” writer J.K. Rowling and others falsely claiming Khelif was a man or transgender.

At a Paris Games that has championed inclusion and seen other outcry over an opening ceremony performance featuring drag queens, LGBTQ+ groups say the hateful comments could pose dangers to their community and female athletes.
IOC President Thomas Bach on Saturday defended Khelif and fellow boxer Lin Yu-ting of Taiwan. Khelif and Lin were disqualified in the middle of last year’s world championships by the International Boxing Association, the now-banned former governing body of Olympic boxing, after what it claimed were failed eligibility tests for the women’s competition.

Both had competed in IBA events for several years without problems, and the Russian-dominated body — which has faced years of clashes with the IOC over judging scandals, leadership decisions and financial issues — has refused to provide any information about the tests, underscoring its lack of transparency in nearly every aspect of its dealings, particularly in recent years.

“Let’s be very clear here: We are talking about women’s boxing,” Bach said Saturday. “We have two boxers who are born as a woman, who have been raised a woman, who have a passport as a woman, and who have competed for many years as women. And this is the clear definition of a woman. There was never any doubt about them being a woman.”

The IBA, which received the unprecedented punishment of being banned from Olympic participation in 2019 following years of conflict with the IOC, disqualified Khelif last year for what it said were elevated levels of testosterone.

The IBA, which is led by an acquaintance of Russian President Vladimir Putin, has not released more details on the tests, calling the process confidential.

“What we see now is that some want to own the definition of who is a woman,” Bach added. “And there I can only invite them to come up with a scientific-based new definition of who is a woman, and how can somebody being born, raised, competed and having a passport as a woman cannot be considered a woman?

“If they are coming up with something, we are ready to listen,” Bach added. “We are ready to look into it, but we will not take part in a sometimes politically motivated cultural war.”

Khelif will clinch at least a bronze medal in her second Olympics after failing to medal at the Tokyo Games held in 2021.

Khelif will face Janjaem Suwannapheng of Thailand in the 66-kg semifinals on Tuesday at Roland Garros. Suwannpheng, a silver medalist at last year’s world championships, upset defending Olympic champion Busenaz Surmeneli a few minutes before Khelif’s victory.

Lin, also a two-time Olympian, will clinch her first medal Sunday if she beats Svetlana Staneva of Bulgaria. Lin won her opening bout Friday comfortably over Uzbekistan’s Sitora Turdibekova.

Amid the scrutiny, both Khelif and Lin have received only cheers from the crowds at North Paris Arena.

“What is going on in this context in the social media, with all this hate speech, with all this aggression and abuse, and fueled by this agenda, is totally unacceptable,” Bach said.

The reduced field at the Paris Olympics boxing tournament — which has the fewest number of total boxers since 1956 — means that many fighters can clinch medals with just two victories. Boxing awards two bronze medals in each weight class, which means every semifinalist wins a medal.

The Olympic sport reached gender parity for the first time in Paris, inviting 124 men and 124 women just 12 years after women’s boxing made its Olympic debut.

source/content: arabnews.com (headline edited)

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ALGERIA