Al-Dhafiri aims for the final... Fencing exits the competition

Nagoya – The Kuwaiti national athletics team’s Ibrahim Al-Dafiri competes today in the heats of the 800-meter race at the Asian Games currently being held in Japan, aiming to secure a spot in the final and compete strongly for top positions.

Al-Dafiri is considered one of the leading contenders for a podium finish, based on his high level of fitness and his recent continental achievement of winning gold at the 26th Asian Athletics Championships held in South Korea in May 2025.

Meanwhile, national team hurdler Yaqoub Al-Yahya failed to reach the finals of the 110-meter hurdles after competing in today’s heats without achieving the qualifying time of 13.88 seconds, thus ending his campaign in the event.

In another development, the national fencing team was eliminated from the Round of 16 in the men’s sabre team event following a 45-35 defeat to the Japanese host nation. Representing Kuwait in this match were Ammar Al-Amari, Yousif Al-Shamlan, Mohammed Abdul-Karim, and Abdulaziz Juma, who delivered strong technical performances, but the hosts’ experience proved decisive.

The Kuwaiti national shooting trio of Talal Al-Rashidi, Abdulrahman Al-Faihan, and Khaled Al-Mutaf begin their campaign today in the trap individual and team events, with high hopes for top finishes and a podium appearance, given their impressive track record and years of experience at both continental and international levels.

The national padel team has launched intensive training sessions in preparation for the competitions scheduled to begin tomorrow, Monday, with strong determination from the administrative and technical staff and the players to achieve the best possible results and bring honor to Kuwaiti sport.

The Kuwaiti padel delegation includes a distinguished group of administrators, coaches, and fitness trainers, alongside a select group of male and female players who are conducting their daily training sessions with high enthusiasm, aiming to compete strongly for podium places.

The Kuwaiti padel team comprises players Fouad Bahbahani, Abdulrahman Al-Awadi, Mariam Al-Siraj, Dalal Al-Qanaei, Hussein Hani Shams, Abdulaziz Mohammed Reza, Nour Adel Hussein, and Zainab Hamad. The technical staff includes Viscayo Chiquimono, Lisandro Omar Ferreira, and Mohammed Ahmed Babajan Gholam (fitness coach), while the administrative team consists of Syed Hamza Al-Muzaidi and Dana Ali Khaja.

Training sessions have begun with full squad participation and great enthusiasm from all players. Current focus is on enhancing technical and physical readiness to achieve the highest levels of cohesion and competitiveness ahead of the tournament’s launch, in order to secure positive results.

Team administrator Syed Hamza Al-Muzaidi stated that the padel team’s training is part of a comprehensive preparation plan, reflecting strong commitment and attention to providing all necessary support for the players. He expressed pride in this distinguished representation and hoped that these efforts would culminate in positive results reflecting the development of padel in the country during the Asian Games.

Player Mariam Al-Siraj noted that preparations had been intense for two weeks, with morning and evening sessions, prior to arriving in Japan for the Asian Championships. She expressed the team’s ambition to deliver a performance befitting the reputation of Kuwaiti sport and called on the public to support and back them.

For her part, player Zainab Sarakhwah explained that preparations for the Asian Games had been good and continuous for about a month, with an increasing pace. She affirmed the players’ commitment to exerting maximum effort to achieve full readiness to compete strongly at the Asian Games.

Meanwhile, the Kuwaiti national karate team arrived in the country after participating in the Asian Games in Japan, accompanied by several sports officials and federation representatives who welcomed the champions.

Acting Director General of the Public Authority for Youth and Sports, Bishr Abdullah Al-Salim, received the champions alongside Ahmed bin Yousef, President of the Kuwait Karate Federation Board of Directors, and Secretary General Abdulaziz Al-Dhafeeri.

The team’s participation saw Mohammed Al-Mousawi, Salman Al-Mousawi, and Mohammed Ahmed Badr win gold in the team kata event, while Mohammed Al-Mousawi claimed bronze in the individual kata.