In a strong and impressive start, the Saudi Arabian Paralympic team dominated the first day of competition at the 5th West Asian Para Games, hosted by the Sultanate of Oman, winning a total of 21 medals (9 gold, 9 silver, and 3 bronze). This remarkable achievement was celebrated at the official opening ceremony held on Tuesday at the Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex, in the presence of prominent figures, including His Excellency Sheikh Khalifa bin Ali Al Harthy, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for Political Affairs, and Dr. Abdulrazzaq Bani Rashid, President of the West Asian Paralympic Federation.
Background and importance of the West Asian Paralympic Games
The West Asian Paralympic Games are among the most important regional sporting events dedicated to athletes with disabilities, providing a high-level competitive platform that contributes to developing their abilities and preparing them for world and Paralympic championships. These Games were launched with the aim of strengthening the Paralympic movement in the region, encouraging social inclusion, and showcasing the immense potential of this group of athletes. This edition is particularly significant as it comes at a time when Saudi Paralympic sports are witnessing unprecedented support, in line with the goals of the Kingdom's Vision 2030, which focuses on empowering all segments of society and providing an ideal environment for sporting excellence.
Saudi dominance in the mother of all sports
Athletics was the stage for Saudi Arabia's brilliance, with the majority of medals coming from this discipline, reflecting the significant progress achieved by Paralympic sports in the Kingdom. The medal breakdown is as follows:
Gold medals (9)
- Ali Al-Nakhli: Two gold medals in the 400m T37 race (with a time of 56.38 seconds) and the 100m T37 race (with a time of 11.81 seconds).
- Abdulrahman Al-Qurashi: Two gold medals in the 400m T53 race (with a time of 57.13 seconds) and the 100m T53 race (with a time of 16.67 seconds).
- Al-Baraa Al-Qarni: Two gold medals in the 400m T54 race (with a time of 51.82 seconds) and the 100m T54 race (with a time of 15.18 seconds).
- Haider Salami: Gold medal in discus throw F57 (with a distance of 36.53 m).
- Hani Al-Nakhli: Gold medal in shot put F33 (with a distance of 10.74 m).
- Nour Al-Sanaa: Gold medal in the 100m T44 race (time 12.41 seconds).
Silver medals (9)
- Nour Al-Sanaa: Silver medal in the 400m T44 race (time 55.58 seconds).
- Thamer Al-Zahrani: Silver medal in the 400m T37 race (time 56.98 seconds).
- Fahad Al Turki: Two silver medals in the 400m T53 race (time 01:01.87 min) and the 100m T53 race (time 17.56 sec).
- Radhi Al-Harthi: Silver medal in the F51 club throw (with a distance of 23.11 m).
- Mohammed Al-Yami: Silver medal in the 100m T11 race (time 13.05 seconds).
- Jawad Al-Alawi: Silver medal in the 100m T44 race (time 12.42 seconds).
- Ziad Al-Kharib: Silver medal in shot put T11 (with a distance of 8.73 m).
- Jamaan Al-Zahrani: Silver medal in the 100m T54 race (time 15.60 seconds).
Bronze medals (3)
- Jamaan Al-Zahrani: Bronze medal in the 400m T54 race (time 55.73 seconds).
- Mohammed Al-Yami: Bronze medal in the F11 javelin throw (with a distance of 27.65 m).
- Rababa Al-Subhani: Bronze medal in the 100m T11 race (time 18.43 seconds).
Promising results in other team and individual sports
Saudi Arabia's dominance wasn't limited to athletics; it extended to other sports as well. In badminton , Saudi players secured eight victories in the preliminary rounds, promising a potential medal haul. In goalball , the Saudi team began their campaign with a resounding 10-0 win over Syria, demonstrating their strong readiness to compete for the title. Meanwhile, in wheelchair basketball , the Saudi team narrowly lost to Bahrain 40-47 in a hard-fought and closely contested match.
Future aspirations and upcoming competitions
This strong start puts the Saudi national team at the top of the overall standings and gives the players a tremendous morale boost to continue the competition with even greater strength. The Saudi athletes are scheduled to continue their participation on Wednesday in 12 track and field events, in addition to crucial goalball matches against the UAE and Oman, two wheelchair basketball matches against Iraq and Oman, and the continuation of the badminton finals.
