Category: Sports

Moroccan Taekwondo Athletes Win Silver and Bronze Medal in the Spanish Taekwondo Open, Alicante

Three Moroccan Taekwondo champions participated in the Spanish Open this year.

Moroccan athletes Ayoub Bassel and Nada Laaraj have won silver and bronze medals respectively at the Spanish Taekwondo Open.

Morocco’s National Olympic Committee celebrated the news in an Instagram post on April 3.

The Spanish Open championship was organized on April 2-3 in Alicante, Spain, bringing together Taekwondo champions from around the globe. 

Bassel, 26-years-old, won the silver medal in the over 87 kilograms weight class. But the Moroccan champion lost in the final against Spain’s Ivan Garcia after beating the 2018 world champion, Emre Kutalmis Atesli. 

In February, Bassel secured another silver in the Arab Cup Championship in Fujairah, UAE. The Moroccan athlete has participated in over 15 international tournaments. 

Nada Laaraj, 21-years-old, secured the bronze medal after losing against Spain’s Marta Calvo in the semi-final for the under  62 kilograms weight class. 

Laaraj has won three gold medals in international Taekwondo competitions including in the 2022 Arab Cup Championship, 2019 African Games, and the 2018 African Championship. 

In 2021, she secured a silver medal in the African Championship in Dakar, Senegal. 

20-year-old Rabab Ouhadi represented Morocco in the under 49 kilograms weight class. But she did not succeed in obtaining a medal as she ranked 8th in the women’s section after losing in the first round to Italy’s Martina Corelli. 

The athlete started competing internationally in 2018, participating in the Olympic Games qualification in Hammamet, Tunisia. 

In the same year, she clinched a bronze medal in the French Open in Paris before collecting other silver and bronze medals in regional and international Taekwondo championships. 

In February, she represented Morocco along with Bassel and Laaraj in the 2022 Arab championship in Fujairah where she secured a bronze medal. 

source/content: moroccoworldnews.com (edited)

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MOROCCO

History Made: Eritrea’s Biniam Girmay is ‘Gent-Wevelgem In Flanders Fields’ 2022 ‘ Champion, Belgium

First Black African to win a cobbled Classic.

Biniam Girmay made history on Sunday as Flanders Week kicked off with Gent-Wevelgem in Flanders Fields. Girmay is the first Black African to win a cobbled Classic, outsprinting three breakmates for the victory. Hugo Houle, the only Canadian in the race, was 55th.

You can watch Dwars door Vlaanderen and the Tour of Flanders on FloBikes .

The Course

The men’s peloton had seven climbs, six sections of cobbles and three cobbled climbs, almost all of it packed into the final 100 km. The riders would ascend the famed Kemmelberg twice from the Belvedère side, but the final climb from the Ossuaire side was 10 percent average with a max of 22 percent and peaked 33 km from the finish line in Wevelgem.

No less than three times Kemmelberg, various unpaved Plugstreets and other hills will make for an exciting race in Flanders Fields! Expected finish between 16h42 – 17h14.

A septet of fugitives got away early and rolled up a 6:00 gap over the peloton on their way to the first hill, Scherpenberg. By the first assault of the Kemmelberg-Belvedère the lead was only 1:10. Wout Van Aert led the field over the top. Between Kemmelberg I and the Monteberg, Strade Bianche winner Matej Mohoric and Greg Van Avermaet created a little group that excluded Van Aert. By but the second trip up Kemmelberg it was together again.

By Kemmelberg III-Ossuaire the peloton had been whittled down by several moves, with Jumbo-Visma very active. Van Aert’s teammate Christophe Laporte led the way. Van Aert attacked. On the other side of the final hill there was another reformation, creating a 30-strong bunch.

A septet of fugitives got away early and rolled up a 6:00 gap over the peloton on their way to the first hill, Scherpenberg. By the first assault of the Kemmelberg-Belvedère the lead was only 1:10. Wout Van Aert led the field over the top. Between Kemmelberg I and the Monteberg, Strade Bianche winner Matej Mohoric and Greg Van Avermaet created a little group that excluded Van Aert. By but the second trip up Kemmelberg it was together again.

By Kemmelberg III-Ossuaire the peloton had been whittled down by several moves, with Jumbo-Visma very active. Van Aert’s teammate Christophe Laporte led the way. Van Aert attacked. On the other side of the final hill there was another reformation, creating a 30-strong bunch.

Laporte made a dig with 25 km to go. This fragmented the peloton. With 19 km remaining Laporte was in a leading quartet containing Jasper Stuyven, Van Avermaet was in a chasing 19 seconds back and Van Aert with 15 fellows 24 seconds in arrears. Girmay and Dries Van Gestel were the other fellows in the foursome.

Twenty-three chasers had 37 seconds to make up in 10 km. Twenty seconds remained with 3 km to go. Girmay led under the red kite. Girmay went from 250 metres out and staved off the efforts of the other riders for the famous win. Laporte was second; he was also runner-up in Friday’s E3 Saxo Bank too.

Dwars door Vlaanderen is on Wednesday and the Tour of Flanders is next Sunday.

2022 Gent-Wevelgem In Flanders Fields
1) Biniam Girmay (Eritrea/Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux) 5:37:57
2) Christophe Laporte (France/Jumbo-Visma) s.t.
3) Dries Van Gestel (Belgium/TotalEnergies) s.t.
55) Hugo Houle (Canada/Israel-Premier Tech) +1:30

source/content : cyclingmagazine.ca/ Canadian Cycling Magazine

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ERITREA

Egypt’s Nouran Gohar Overtakes El Sherbini to Become Women’s World No. 1 : April 01, 2022

Egypt’s Nouran Gohar has ended compatriot Nour El Sherbini’s 17-month reign as the World No.1 after the PSA Women’s World Rankings for April were released today (April 1).

Gohar has been in sensational form throughout the 2021-22 season and has won the last four PSA World Tour Platinum events in a row, including the Windy City Open presented by the Walter Family and the CIB Black Ball Open last month.

Those wins have seen her leapfrog El Sherbini to claim the World No.1 spot for the second time in her career and for the first time since October 2020.

Hania El Hammamy and Amanda Sobhy stay at No.3 and No.4, respectively, while New Zealand’s Joelle King returns to the top five for the first time since May 2019 after reaching the semifinals of both the Windy City Open and Black Ball Open in March.

England’s Sarah-Jane Perry moves down to No.6 ahead of Salma Hany at No.7, while Rowan Elaraby reaches a career-high ranking of No.8 after reaching her first Platinum semi at the Black Ball Open.

Women’s Top 10 – April 2022 / pix: pic: psaworldtour.com

Meanwhile, Georgina Kennedy rises to her career-high ranking of No.9 after achieving back-to-back quarter finals at the Windy City Open and Black Ball Open, the former seeing her reach the last eight of a Platinum event for the first time. France’s Camille Serme – who has been sidelined since September, 2021 due to a leg injury – completes the top 10.

USA’s Olivia Fiechter drops out of the top 10, while Belgium’s Nele Gilis rises a spot to a joint career-best No.12 ranking. India’s Joshna Chinappa is also on the move as she moves up to No.13, ahead of Tesni Evans at No.14 and Nadine Shahin who remains at No.15.

Nada Abbas rises five places to reach No.16, while Hollie Naughton drops down a spot to joint No.17 with Olivia Clyne. Emily Whitlock stays at No.19, while England’s Lucy Turmel moves up six spots to break into the top 20 for the first time. It’s the first time in over two years that there have been three Englishwoman have been ranked inside the top 20 at the same time.

Egypt’s Nour El-Sharkawy is the biggest mover on the women’s tour this month. The 18-year-old appeared at the Black Ball Open in March and enjoys a 186-place rise to a career-high No.147 ranking.

source/content: psaworldtour.com (edited)

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Nouran Gohar in action at the Allam British Open / pic: psaworldtour.com

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EGYPT

Bahrain Women’s Cricket Team Create World Record, Hit Highest Total Scored In A T20I Inning

Bahrain women created a world record as they smashed the highest total in a T20I inning – 318 – against Saudi Arabia in match seven of GCC Women’s T20I Championship, played at Al Amerat Cricket Ground, Oman. 

Saudi Arabia won the toss and opted to field first. Bahrain women smacked the SA bowlers right from the beginning, especially Tharanga Gajanayake. While Rasika Rodrigo only scored 13 off 11 balls, Tharanga continued smack the bowlers from the other end.

Deepika Rasangika joined Tharanga and the duo added 255 runs in 16.4 overs – the highest partnership for the second wicket and second-highest partnership in a women’s T20I match. Tharanga remained unbeaten at 94 off 56 with the help of 17 fours. Deepika, on the other end, scored 161 from 66 balls with the help of 31 fours – becomes first women cricketer to score 150+ in a T20I game. 

Bahrain scored 318 runs in the 20 overs, but interestingly they didn’t hit any six through the innings; a record 50 boundaries were hit in the inning. Saudi Arabia conceded 50 runs in extra runs – 34 wides, 13 no-balls, 2 byes, and 1 leg bye. 

Before this, the highest total scored in a T20I inning was by Uganda Women – 314 vs Mali in 2019. 

Maira Khan conceded the most runs for Saudi Arabia – 68 in four overs. Emaan Ejaz took the sole wicket of the inning but conceded 63 runs in her fours overs. 

There was a clear contrast between the two bowling cards. The best Saudi Arabian bowler conceded 13 runs an over and the worst bowler for Bahrain conceded 3.5 runs an over. 

In reply, Saudi Arabia women could only score 49 runs and lost eight wickets. They lost the match by 269 runs – the second-highest win in terms of runs in a women’s T20I game. 

Brief Scorecard : 

Bahrain Women – 318/1 (Deepika Rasangika – 161*; Tharanga Gajanayake – 94*)

Saudi Arabia Women – 49/8 (Maira Khan – 9; Deepika Rasangika – 3/9)

source/content: cricketnmore.com (edited)

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Bahrain’s women’s cricket team. (Bahrain/Twitter).

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BAHRAIN

Bashir Abdi: From Somalian Refugee to Belgian Olympic Bronze Medallist

Bashir Abdi’s bronze medal in the marathon at the Olympic Games in Tokyo is a victory that will go down in the history books. He came to Belgium as a refugee from Somalia as a 13-year-old boy. Speaking after taking bronze in Tokyo, Bashir Adil told VRT Sport that “I always wanted to thank my new country by winning a medal”. 

The scenes of Bashir Abdi being encouraged on by his best friend and training buddy, the Dutch athlete Abdi Nageeye, as they both reached the finishing line will be one of the enduring memories of this summer’s Tokyo Olympics. Bashir Abdi’s bronze medal was the first medal for Belgium in the Olympic marathon event since Karel Lismont’s medal 45 years ago. 

A great sporting achievement for a man that is delighted to be able to give something back to a country that he came to as a teenage refugee and that he is proud to call home. “I always want to thank my new country by giving it a medal. At the European Championships I was successful and won silver and now I am on the podium at the Olympic Games. Hopefully more will follow in the future”.

But what about the past? Who is Bashir Abdi and how did he get to where he is? A couple of months ago Bashir Abdi was a guest in our nightly topical discussion programme ‘De Afspraak’. Then he said “I was 13 years old in 2002 when I arrived in Ghent (East Flanders) with my father, sister and brother. People know me from sport, my achievements as a runner, but few people know about my journey from Somalia to Belgium”. In an effort to change this Bashir’s Dutch teacher a book about his life.

“It was all new I didn’t speak the language; it was a completely different culture, and the weather was cold. First, I was in a football club because in Somalia the only sport on TV or in the paper is football. I didn’t even know that other sports existed. Then I come into contact with athletic and that was something that greatly appealed to me. Running on my own and forgetting about everything that I had gone through gave me so much fulfilment. Society has helped me”.

A key figure in Abdi story is his mother “It is thanks to her that I came to Belgium. She has recognition as a political refugee, and she initiated a family reunification procedure. It took years before I was reunited with her”.

Bashir Abdi’s mother died of cancer in 2011. In the interview he told of what her last words to him were “She call us together on the final day of her life and said, ‘this country has meant so much to all of you, be good people’. She was the one that always supported me being an athlete while the rest of the family felt that it was a waste of time”.

When he was asked by our colleague Phara de Aguirre if he would be running for his Mum on 8 August, Bashir Abdi said “Absolutley, I hope that she will be looking down watch my performance from up there”.  

source/content : vrt.be / flandersnews.be

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BELGIAN / SOMALI

Kuwait Wins 2 Golds, Silver and Bronze Medals at ISSF World Cup in Cyprus, March 2022

Kuwait National Shooting team won a gold medal in the ISSF World Cup in Cyprus, said Kuwait Shooting Club.

The Kuwaiti team, represented by Talal Al-Terqi, Abdulrahman Al-Faihan and Nasser Al-Muqled, came first in the Trap competition after defeating both India and Poland who came second and third, raising the total number of medals to two golds and one silver, Kuwait Shooting Club’s Chairman Duaij Al- Otaibi said .

 Kuwaiti shooter Talal Al-Terqi won also a bronze medal in the singles Trap competition in the same tournament, (KUNA)

source/content: arabtimesonline.com (edited)

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Kuwait National Shooting team celebrate after winning a gold medal in the ISSF World Cup in Cyprus

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KUWAIT

Saudi Cup 2022 ‘Most Expensive Equestrian Race in the World’ certified by Guinness World Records, March 2022

The CEO of the Horse Races Club and Secretary-General of the Equestrian Authority, Eng. Marwan Bin Abdulrahman Al-Olayan, received at the club’s headquarters in Riyadh, a Guinness World Records certificate for the most expensive equestrian race in the world.

Guinness World Records official Adjudicator, Ahmed Bucheeri, presented the certificate and award during a ceremony on the platform of the King Abdulaziz Racecourse for Horse Racing.

The 2022 Saudi Cup was able to break records as the most expensive horse race in the world, with a financial prize of $20 million, while the total value of the Saudi Cup race prizes is $35.1 million, representing the most expensive horse racing prize in the world.

He added that the largest financial prize for the individual race, worth $20 million, was in the Saudi Cup, which was organized at King Abdulaziz Racecourse, in Riyadh on Feb. 26, 2022, pointing out that Guinness World Record is now officially registered under the name of the Saudi Cup 2022 after it used to be under the name of the Dubai World Cup, where the prize amounted to $10 million.

source/content: saudigazette.com.sa

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The CEO of the Horse Races Club and Secretary-General of the Equestrian Authority, Eng. Marwan Bin Abdulrahman Al-Olayan, received at the club’s headquarters in Riyadh, a Guinness World Records certificate for the most expensive equestrian race in the world.

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SAUDI ARABIA

‘Rally Jameel’ Saudi Arabia’s First ever All-Women (and Women Only) Race that Spans 900 kilometres – scheduled March 17-19

The three-day race event will start in Hail before finishing in Riyadh

Saudi Arabia is readying to host its first women’s-only motoring event.

Called Rally Jameel, the event consists of 34 teams from 15 countries and takes place from March 17 to 19. It will feature both beginners and seasoned veterans in competition.

The 900-kilometre race, which is being held over three days, will start in the north-central city of Hail, taking in the sites of Al-Qassim city and then heading to the capital, Riyadh , via hidden checkpoints and challenges.

Motorsport racer Dania Akeel, who was the first Saudi woman to participate in the Dakar Rally in 2022, says she hopes the event will help women to feel more at ease while driving.

Elsewhere in the region, the UAE is represented by Atefa Saleh, while Oman will have Sanaa Al Shekaili and Halima Al Balushi behind the wheel.

Al Shekaili was the first Omani racer to participate in the 2020 Middle East Rally Championship, finishing in third place.

Al Shekaili also established the first women’s car club in Oman.

There are three teams taking part from the US while Europe will be represented with a team from Sweden and a team from Spain. There will also be one team from Egypt.

“Taking part in Rally Jameel, for me, is an incredible way to support women who are new to the scene of off-roading and motorsports,” says Sedona Blinson, who has previously participated in Rally Jameel’s inspiration, the Rebelle Rally.

The rally, which is not designed as a speed test, was first announced back in December. It is open to any entrant aged 18 or above and holding a driving license accepted in Saudi Arabia. No special equipment is needed, as the cars are required to be totally unmodified, although they must be a 4×4 or AWD.

source/content : thenationalnews.com

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From left, Oman’s Sanaa Al Shekaili, Saudi Arabia’s Dania Akeel and Sedona Blinson from the US are competing in Saudi Arabia’s first women’s only motoring event. Photo: Rally Jameel

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SAUDI ARABIA

Team Bahrain Win the inaugral ‘MMA Super Cup ‘ : March 12th, 2022

Bahrain vs Ireland

In the highly anticipated final, host nation Bahrain took on Ireland. With $100,000 on the line, all was to play for on the last day of competition. 

Sabrina De Sousa (Bah) won the first bout of the day against Kerry Ann Vernon (Ire). She showed once again why she’s the #1 ranked female athlete in the world, finishing Vernon with a rear-naked choke in the first round. 

Jordan Bradshaw (Ire) then took on Haj Mohammad Ali (Bah). Bradshaw landed a beautiful headkick, almost finishing the bout. However, Ali survived, then finished Bradshaw via a head-and-arm-triangle. This took the score to 4-0 in favour of Bahrain. 

Next up, Lewis Byrne (Ire) attempted to turn the tide against Kurban Idrisov (Bah). In one of the closest matches of the day, Idrisov managed to edge out the unanimous decision, taking the score to 5-0. This clinched the MMA Supercup for Bahrain, along with the $100,000 prize. 

Jordan Furey (Ire) was impressive in this competition, finishing both of his previous matches. However, Magomed Isaev (Bah) fought the perfect fight, taking Furey down and finishing him with a rear-naked choke early in the first round. 

Then the pound-for-pound #1 ranked Ramazan Gitnov (Bah) faced off against Cameron Clements. Gitnov extended his win streak to 22, and Bahrain’s lead to 7-0, with a TKO win in the second round. 

Gadzhi Gadziev (Bah) then finished Dennis Perry (Ire) via TKO in the first round. 

And in the final match of the day, Sultan Gapizov (Bah) defeated Gustavo Lopez (Ire) via a unanimous decision, taking the final score to 9-0. 

Bahrain finished as dominant winners of the inaugural MMA Supercup. The host nation claimed the $100,000 prize in style, remaining undefeated. Ireland will be disappointed to have lost all of their matches, however, they still take home the massive second place prize of $75,000. 

The inaugural MMA Supercup concluded in the Kingdom of Bahrain.

Eight teams battled it out for the biggest prizes ever awarded in amateur MMA.

Kazakhstan finished 3rd, winning $50,000, Ireland 2nd, winning $75,000, and Bahrain claimed the first place prize of $100,000.

source/content: immaf.org

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BAHRAIN

Oman’s Ahmed Al Maskari Wins Silver at ‘Arnold Classic Europe 2021’, Spain

Ahmed bin Saleh al Maskari. Athlete. Body Building.

Oman’s Ahmed bin Saleh al Maskari won silver medal in the 90kg weight category at the Arnold Classic Europe 2021 bodybuilding championship held in Spain from September 16 to 18.

Badr al Amri, head of the Technical Committee of the Oman Committee for Weightlifting and Bodybuilding, supervising the player’s training, said that Maskari was able to make his presence felt among the world’s most experienced bodybuilders.

“The Arnold Classic is one of the biggest bodybuilding tournaments in the world, and Maskari proved his mettle as he prepared well for it,” Amri said.


“Maskari is an important member of the national bodybuilding team. He has achieved great success and brought laurels for the sultanate in many international and local events.”

source/contents : muscatdaily.com

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OMAN