The hard work, blood, sweat, tears, constant preparation and countless competitions for four gruelling years led to this golden moment in Bahrain’s sporting history. Clinching four medals, Bahrain’s Olympic run in Paris has proved to be its most successful one yet.
The Kingdom won four coloured medals, including two gold, one silver, and one bronze, for the first time since its first participation in the Los Angeles 1984 Olympics.
Runner Winfred Yavi (gold medal in women’s 3,000m steeplechase), Wrestler Akhmed Tazhudinov (gold medal in men’s 97 kg), Runner Salwa Eid Naser (silver medal in the women’s 400m race), weightlifter Gor Minasyan (bronze in weightlifting over 102 kg). This haul made Bahrain first in the Arab world and 31st globally at the Paris Olympics.
The finals of most of Bahrain’s matches were attended by His Highness Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Representative of His Majesty the King for Humanitarian Work and Youth Affairs, Chairman of the Supreme Council for Youth and Sports; His Highness Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa, First Deputy Chairman of the Supreme Council for Youth and Sports, President of the General Sports Authority and President of the Olympic Committee; His Highness Shaikh Salman bin Mohammed Al Khalifa, Deputy Chairman of the General Sports Authority and President of the Bahrain Combat Games Council; His Highness Shaikh Isa bin Ali Al Khalifa, Deputy Chairman of the Olympic Committee; His Excellency Faris Al Kooheji, Secretary General, Bahrain Olympic Committee and members of the official and administrative delegation. They were jubilant as they saw the Bahrain flag flying high as members of the contingent brought home glory.
Once back home, the celebrations began in full swing and the felicitations poured in. His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa expressed his appreciation to the Bahraini athletes and officials for their outstanding performance and dedication.
His Majesty remarked that such achievements inspire future ambitions and praised the athletes’ determination and commitment to continue excelling in upcoming competitions. He also commended the leadership and efforts of His Highness Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa and HH Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa in advancing Bahrain’s sports sector, which resulted in significant accomplishments regionally and internationally.
In recognition of their contributions, His Majesty awarded the First Class Medal of Competence to athletes Winfred Yavi, Akhmed Tazhudinov, Salwa Eid Naser and Gor Minasyan.
On their part, the athletes expressed their gratitude to His Majesty for the honour and the unwavering support they received, which contributed to their success. They pledged to continue striving for further achievements in future competitions, extending their thanks to His Highness Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa and His Highness Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa for their continued encouragement.
Acknowledging this golden moment in Bahrain’s sporting history, HH Shaikh Khalid bin Hamada Al Khalifa said, “We dedicate this achievement to His Majesty the King, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, and to the entire Bahraini people. This unprecedented achievement marks the first time in Bahrain’s history that we have achieved this number of medals: two gold, one silver and one bronze. This succes is indeed due to the supoorts and guidance of His Majesty the King. His continous effective oversight and directives have enabled us to perform at our best, 100%, in training, technical matters and administration.
“His Majesty’s personal involvement and encouragement have had a profound impact on us and our athletes. Instead of us reaching out to him, he took the initiative to speak to us and extend his congratulations. Our athletes have reahed an unprecedented level, both in qualifying rounds they competed in to reach the Olympics and the qualifications at the Olympics. We have never seen this level of difficulty before.”
“Thanks to Allah, all our atheletes were fully prepared and ready,100%. However, we always aim for the best. One must continue the journey, exerting effort, and staying abreast of developments and changes in sports. If one remains stagnant, there will be no progress. On the contrary, we aim to add and improve in subsequent games. This achievement encourages Bahraini youth to strive in sports and continue their training, as sports showcase their talent ath the Olympics and in other championships. I hope this achievement changes the lifestyle of Bahraini youth”.
As Bahrain’s Olympians move on other sporting events to bring back more international acclaim, the people of Bahrain are unlikely to forget these golden moments of national pride that brought them so much happiness and joy.
