?Bahrain will introduce 38 of its finest athletes starting today (Saturday) when they compete for glory at Gelora Bung Karno Stadium in Jakarta at the 18th Asian Games.
The athletics events commence this morning as Bahrain’s athletes look to break the previous record set at the 2004 Incheon Asian Games when the nationals took 18 medals in total (9 gold, 6 silver, 3 bronze), which saw the kingdom finish in 12th position among 46 countries in Asia.
In the Jakarta athletics events, half of Bahrain’s athletics team includes men’s athletes, namely Andrew Fisher, Saeed Al Amiri (Men’s 100m), Yaqoub Salem, Andrew Fisher (Men’s 200m), Ali Khamis, Abbas Abu Baker (men’s 400m) ), Al Siddiq Mikho, Mohammed Ayoub (men’s 1,500m), John Keppit, Evans Rutho (men’s 3000m), Perhanu Yamato, Albert Rop (men’s 5,000m), Abraham Cheroben (men’s 100×4), Ali Khamis, Abbas Abu Baker, Abraham Rotish, Yaqoub Salem (men’s 400×4), Ali Khamis, Abbas Abu Baker, Saad Salem Mubarak, Abdulrahman Khamis (400×4 medley), Abdi Ibrahim, Al Hassan Al Abbasi (men’s marathon).
In the women’s section, Hajar Al Amiri, Edidiong Odiong (Women’s 100m, 200m), Salwa Eid Nasser, Eman Issa (400m Women’s Race), Marta Yota, Manal Al Bahrawi (800m Men’s Race), Tigest Belay, Kalkidan Befkadu (Women’s 1,500m), Motielli (3,000 women’s contenders), Kalkidan Befkadu, Bontu Rebitu (women’s 5,000m), Ionis Gumba, Shitay Ashti (10,000m women’s race), Aminat Youssef, 400 meters hurdles), Rose Gillmo (women’s marathon), Nora Jassem (discus throw), Salwa Eid, Aminat Youssef, Eman Issa, Edidiong Odiong (Women’s 100×4 relay), Salwa Eid, Aminat Youssef, Edidiong (400×4 relay), Salwa Eid, Kimi Adikoya, Eman Issa, Aminat Youssef (400×4 medley relay).
Today’s action will see Bahrain in action in two finals – men’s 42km marathon (Abdi Ebrahim and Al Hassan Al Abbasi), which gets underway at 2am (Bahrain time), and the women’s 10,000m final (Eunice Chumba and Shitaye Eshte) at 4am.
Ali Khamis and Abbas Abubaker will both compete later today in the men’s 400m heat at 5am, while Hajer Al Amiri and Edidiong will enter the women’s 100m heat, Andrew and Saeed the men’s 100m heat, and Salwa and Iman in the women’s 400m in the evening session.
In jiu jitsu, Maytham Sabba lost his 69kg opener 2-5 to Uzbekistan’s Khomidjon Muminov in the opening fight to exit the competition. Bahrain hopefuls Abdulla Monfaridi (62kg) and Mohammed Ghareeb (94kg) will be in action today at 6am.
In cycling, Razan Sabooh achieved 12th position in the anti-clockwise race, which was over 20km with 13 riders in the fray. This was Razan’s second race at the games, after she was forced out in the previous race due to technical issues with her bike.
