Saudi athletes concluded their impressive performance at the 15th Arab Games held in Algeria, securing nine additional medals on the tournament’s final day on July 14. This late surge brought Saudi Arabia’s total medal count to 47, surpassing their previous record of 45 achieved during the 2011 tournament in Doha, Qatar.
Saudi Arabian athletes, displaying their skill and perseverance, participated in 17 diverse sporting events, including 14 Olympic and three Paralympic competitions. Leading the Saudi delegation was Prince Fahd bin Jalawi bin Abdulaziz bin Musaed, who commended the athletes on their remarkable performance.
Among the standout athletes was Saudi karate champion Sanad Sufyani, who seized the gold medal in the +84 kg karate competition. Sufyani showcased his superior skills by outclassing his Jordanian rival, Mahmoud Sajjan, in a thrilling conclusion to the karate event.
The Kingdom’s medal tally was boosted further by Saudi table tennis player Ali Al-Khadhrawi, who triumphed in the men’s singles competition. Al-Khadhrawi proved his mettle by defeating Algerian player Mahdi Bou Bouloussa in a nail-biting final held in the Algerian state of Tipaza.
Other Saudi athletes also made their mark. Manal Al-Zaid and Shamsa Al-Musallam, both representing Saudi Arabia in karate, bagged bronze in the women’s singles kata and women’s over 68 kg kata competitions respectively. In the under 84 kg category, Faraj Al-Nashiri earned a bronze medal, and the Saudi team claimed another bronze in the men’s group kata competition, featuring Misfer Al-Asmari, Fadel Al-Ghomgham, and Abdullah Al-Maliki.
Nujud Kharmi, a representative in weightlifting, secured bronze in the women’s 81+ kg category with a 59 kg lift.
The 15th Arab Games is set to conclude with a closing ceremony at the Stade du 5 Juillet in Algiers on July 15, at 10:00 p.m. Saudi time. The occasion will celebrate the athletes’ remarkable achievements and the spirit of friendly competition that pervaded the Games.
