Top 10 moments for Arab athletes at Tokyo 2020

Ahmed Hafnaoui after winning gold in the 400m freestyle at the Tokyo Aquatics Centre, Tokyo, Japan, July 25, 2021. (Reuters)
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Updated 09 August 2021
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Top 10 moments for Arab athletes at Tokyo 2020

  • From carrying flags to winning 18 medals, it has been an emotional Olympic Games in the Japanese capital

RIYADH: An incredible fortnight of sporting action in Tokyo has ended, with 18 medals scooped by Arab athletes. Here are the top 10 Arab moments witnessed at the Olympic Games.

1. Hafnaoui stuns the world

He was the slowest to make it through to the 400 meters freestyle final, but the fastest to touch the wall in the final and secure a stunning gold medal – 18-year-old Tunisian swimmer Ahmed Hafnaoui provided one of the biggest surprises of Tokyo 2020 when he won the race from lane eight.

He shaved nearly three seconds off his personal best during the Games and earned praise from the legendary American swimmer Michael Phelps.

2. Barshim’s gracious act of sportsmanship

After claiming high jump bronze in London 2012 and silver in Rio 2016, Qatar’s Mutaz Barshim finally topped the podium in Tokyo.

But even more memorable than his victory was how he and Italian Gianmarco Tamberi agreed to share the gold medal instead of going through a jump-off.

The two competitors and good friends helped each other through difficult times when they suffered the very same ankle injury that threatened their careers. So, when the pair each cleared 2.37 meters at the Tokyo Games and found themselves on the verge of entering a jump-off, Barshim looked to an official and asked: “Can we have two golds?” Seconds later, he and Tamberi shared a warm embrace, without even needing to vocalize what they were both thinking; that sharing gold was the perfect way for them to conclude their Tokyo experience.

It was an incredible act of sportsmanship and one of the most heart-warming moments of the Games.

3. Arab women shine in opening ceremony

When Yasmine Al-Dabbagh carried the flag alongside her compatriot Husein Alireza during the opening ceremony of Tokyo 2020, the track sprinter became Saudi Arabia’s first-ever female flagbearer at an Olympic Games. But she was not alone as the only Arab woman given the honor.

Arab women athletes were front and center during this year’s opening ceremony as many nations from the region took advantage of the newly introduced initiative from the International Olympic Committee that allowed countries to nominate a man and a woman to carry the flag together to kick off proceedings in Tokyo.

Other Arab women flagbearers in the Japanese capital during the opening ceremony include Lebanese shooter Ray Bassil, Egyptian two-time taekwondo Olympic medalist Hedaya Malak, Tunisian fencer Ines Boubakri, Moroccan boxer Oumaima Bel Habib, Jordan’s Asian Games taekwondo champion Julyana Al-Sadeq, Qatari rower Tala Abujbara, 15-year-old Bahraini swimmer Noor Yusuf Abdulla, Algerian swimmer Amel Melih, 12-year-old table tennis player Hend Zaza of Syria, Sudanese rower Esraa Khogali, Yemeni shooter Yasameen Al-Raimi, 17-year-old Kuwaiti swimmer Lara Dashti, 17-year-old Palestinian swimmer Dania Nour, and Iraqi shooter Fatimah Al-Kaabi.

4. Asaad’s gift to Syria

Man Asaad brought some much-needed joy to his war-torn nation during Tokyo 2020. The 27-year-old weightlifter claimed Syria’s first Olympic medal in 17 years, and fourth in the Games, by taking bronze in the plus-109-kilogram competition in Tokyo.

Asaad overcame a right shoulder injury in the build-up to the Olympics and gave Syria only its second Olympic gold medal.

5. Hamedi’s dramatic silver medal

Saudi Arabian karateka Tareg Hamedi was leading 4-1 when his final kick sent his Iranian opponent Sajjad Ganjzadeh to the tatami in their kumite plus-75-kilogram gold-medal bout in Tokyo. But his high kick was later deemed illegal, and the 23-year-old had to settle for silver behind the multiple-time world champion.

Despite the heartbreaking finish, Hamedi can take huge pride from his strong campaign in the Japanese capital, which earned Saudi Arabia its fourth-ever Olympic medal.

In a tweet, Saudi minister of sport and president of the Saudi Olympic Committee, Prince Abdul Aziz bin Turki Al-Faisal, said: “Because he is the hero in the eyes of all of us, our Olympic champion Tareq Hamedi will be honored with the gold medal award, worth 5 million riyals, for his excellence, creativity, and honorable representation of the homeland in front of the world’s biggest stars in Tokyo 2020. You deserve it, hero, and the future is in front of you.”

6. Feryal’s historic gold for Egypt

Karate’s introduction to the Tokyo 2020 Games spelled great news for Egypt, as Feryal Abdelaziz’s heroics in the kumite plus-61-kilogram class gifted the north African nation its first gold medal since 2004.

And Abdelaziz’s triumph made her Egypt’s first-ever female Olympic gold medalist.

“This is the result of four years of hard work, not just one or two. I was under a lot of pressure, mentally and physically, but it was all worth it to make something special for Egypt,” said the 22-year-old.

Fellow Egyptian Giana Farouk – a multiple-time world champion – claimed bronze in 61-kg action a day earlier.

7. El-Bakkali snaps Kenya’s streak

Moroccan track athlete Soufiane El-Bakkali ended Kenya’s 37-year dominance of the men’s 3,000-meter steeplechase at the Olympics to take gold in Tokyo.

Kenyans had won every single gold in the event since Los Angeles 1984 before El-Bakkali’s triumph last week.

The runner’s victory was Morocco’s sole medal at the Japanese Games, and its first gold since 2004.

8. Zaza’s message of hope

At 12 years old, Syrian table tennis player Hend Zaza was not only her nation’s flagbearer, but the youngest competitor in the entire Tokyo 2020 Games.

Although her campaign was short-lived, having lost her opener to Austria’s 39-year-old Liu Jia, Zaza sent out an inspirational message after making her Olympics debut.

She said: “For the last five years I’ve been through many different experiences, especially when there was the war happening around the country, with the postponement with funding for the Olympics, and it was very tough.

“But I had to fight for it, and this is my message to everyone who wishes to have the same situation. Fight for your dreams, try hard, regardless of the difficulties that you’re having, and you will reach your goal.”

9. Malak doubles up

After claiming bronze in the below-57-kilogram category in taekwondo in Rio 2016, Hedaya Malak moved up a weight class, to below 67 kilograms, spent 18 months living in Serbia in order to have access to better training conditions, and qualified for Tokyo 2020 while competing with an injured ankle.

In Tokyo, Malak made history as Egypt’s first-ever female flagbearer then claimed a second Olympic bronze to become just the fifth athlete from her country to win multiple medals at the Games.

Egypt ended up with six medals in total, the nation’s highest ever tally at a single Games.

10. El-Bakh sets Olympic records

Egyptian-born weightlifter Fares El-Bakh did not just claim Qatar’s first-ever Olympic gold medal, he set two Olympic records in the process with 225 kilograms in the clean and jerk and a combined score of 402.

The 23-year-old said: “I feel great, incredible. We worked hard for it. We went so far to get this, and it feels better than ever. I am literally speechless about that (getting the first gold for Qatar). I hope that they are proud of me.

“I promise this is not the end, we still have more and more coming soon. We will do our best to make it even better,” he added.


Saudi-based Ivan Toney recalled to England squad by Tuchel

Updated 23 May 2025
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Saudi-based Ivan Toney recalled to England squad by Tuchel

  • Toney, who has scored 22 goals in 29 Pro League games for the Saudi champions, made the last of his six England appearances in the Euro 2024 final defeat by Spain

LONDON: England manager Thomas Tuchel insists Ivan Toney “deserves” his surprise recall for the forthcoming internationals against Andorra and Senegal.
It is a first call-up for the 29-year-old since he left Brentford to join Saudi Arabian club Al-Ahli last August.
Toney, who has scored 22 goals in 29 Pro League games for the Saudi champions, made the last of his six England appearances in the Euro 2024 final defeat by Spain.
“Ivan deserves to be with us, I think, and I’m convinced because he scored over 20 goals this season,” Tuchel said.
“He won a major title with the Asian Champions League, in goals and assists made a huge contribution.
“I thought, why not bring him over and let him travel to us? It’s a good occasion now to also test new players, see new players, meet Ivan first and see him in the environment.”
Tuchel has also given a first senior call-up to Chelsea defender Trevoh Chalobah.
The Sierra Leone-born Chalobah has played 32 times for Chelsea this season as they chase Champions League qualification and target victory over Real Betis in the UEFA Conference League final on Wednesday.
“He played a fantastic second half of the season with Chelsea. He is very, very consistent on a very high level,” Tuchel said.
Manchester City star Phil Foden was left out just days after opening up about his mental health struggles.
Foden, who is struggling with an ankle injury, revealed his mental state has suffered throughout a difficult season for the forward.
Real Madrid midfielder Jude Bellingham was selected despite reports that he needs surgery on a shoulder problem after the Club World Cup.
Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane, Chelsea’s Cole Palmer and Atletico Madrid’s Conor Gallagher are among eight players in the squad who will also be involved in the Club World Cup in the United States.
England face Andorra in a World Cup qualifier in Barcelona on June 7 before a friendly with Senegal in Nottingham three days later.
The Club World Cup starts just five days after England’s second game of the international break.
“I could see the reasons for the players who go to the Club World Cup to maybe leave a bit earlier, to maybe change the squad,” Tuchel said.
“We had a good discussion over if we nominate the squad without Club World Cup players.
“Very quickly we understood that it’s also important for us. It’s only one year to go until the World Cup.
“So why send players away? We want to cherish and worship every day that we have together, and what signal will be sent to the group to send players away?“
Trent Alexander-Arnold and Bukayo Saka are back in the international fold after injuries ruled them out of England’s wins over Albania and Latvia in World Cup qualifiers in March.
There was no place again for Manchester United defender Harry Maguire, with Tottenham striker Dominic Solanke and West Ham winger Jarrod Bowen also left out.


Brighton leave out joint top-scorer Pedro from Spurs trip over training incident

Updated 23 May 2025
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Brighton leave out joint top-scorer Pedro from Spurs trip over training incident

  • Pedro did not play in Monday’s 3-2 win over champions Liverpool
  • “With Joao we had a small issue in training,” Huerzeler told reporters

LONDON: Brighton & Hove Albion will be without their joint top-scorer Joao Pedro when they visit Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday, with manager Fabian Huerzeler saying the Brazil striker has been left out due to a “small issue in training.”

Pedro, who equals Danny Welbeck with 10 league goals this season, did not play in Monday’s 3-2 win over champions Liverpool, with a report by The Athletic later attributing the 23-year-old’s absence to an altercation he had with a teammate during training.

“With Joao we had a small issue in training, a type which isn’t uncommon from time to time in all football clubs. We dealt with it internally and the matter is closed,” Huerzeler told reporters on Friday.

“Joao is an incredible football player. He is a match winner for us. That’s why we invested in him. But there are principles, there are values... they are non-negotiable.

“Joao is still a young player, and (there’s) still a lot of potential that he will grow. I’m sure he’ll learn from this and come back stronger next season.”

Pedro last played for Brighton on April 19, when he was sent off for flicking his hand into Brentford defender Nathan Collins’ face during a 4-2 loss, an act which got him a three-match suspension for violent conduct.

With ninth-placed Brentford three points below Brighton, a draw at Spurs will ensure Huerzeler’s men finish eighth, which could earn them a place in next season’s UEFA Conference League provided some other results go their way.


Alexander-Arnold ‘deserves’ his part in Liverpool title party: Slot

Updated 23 May 2025
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Alexander-Arnold ‘deserves’ his part in Liverpool title party: Slot

  • Arne Slot said Trent Alexander-Arnold “deserves” to be part of Liverpool’s title celebrations despite revealing he was unhappy with the defender’s performances in training at the start of the season

LIVERPOOL: Arne Slot said Trent Alexander-Arnold “deserves” to be part of Liverpool’s title celebrations despite revealing he was unhappy with the defender’s performances in training at the start of the season.
The England international announced his decision to quit his boyhood club earlier this month and is widely expected to join Real Madrid.
He was booed by Liverpool fans when he came on as a second-half substitute in last week’s 2-2 draw against Arsenal at Anfield and did not play in the 3-2 defeat at Brighton on Monday.
Liverpool, who wrapped up the Premier League title last month with four games to spare, will be presented with the trophy after Sunday’s game against FA Cup winners Crystal Palace.
Slot was asked by reporters on Friday whether he had concerns that the celebrations would be overshadowed by an negative reaction to Alexander-Arnold.
He said he had yet to make a decision on the extent of the right-back’s involvement.
“I haven’t decided on that one yet but I think this should be a day that everybody is going to enjoy,” Slot said.
“It’s been 35 years everybody is waiting for this moment.”
Liverpool lifted the 2020 Premier League trophy behind closed doors due to Covid restrictions.
Slot, in his first season at Anfield, said celebrations after Liverpool sealed the title against Tottenham were special.
“I’m hoping that we can add a moment like this to it and I think everybody that’s in this stadium deserves to be there, the fans, the staff, but also the players,” he said.
“One of my players is Trent so he definitely deserves to be there as well because he’s been part of an incredibly successful season and an incredibly successful (few) years at this club.”


While Slot hopes Alexander-Arnold gets a fond farewell from fans, the Dutchman was critical about the right-back’s efforts in training during his early weeks as Liverpool manager.
“He’s going to leave either way so maybe it’s already a first gift I can give Xabi (Alonso, expected to be the new Real Madrid manager),” he said.
“But I wasn’t completely happy with every single minute how he was on the training ground. So, in my opinion, in certain moments he could do a bit more, to say it mildly.
“I said to him ‘You are a much better defender than everybody tells you, but unfortunately you don’t show it all the time’.”
Slot said he told Alexander-Arnold, 26, that if he was focused there were not many players that could go past him because he is “fast, he’s agile, he has a great mentality.”
“It’s about showing it every single game, because in this world we are judged not only on the 34 games we do well, we are mainly judged on the four games that we don’t do so well,” he said.


Al-Ain set to host fourth UAE National MMA Championship

Updated 23 May 2025
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Al-Ain set to host fourth UAE National MMA Championship

  • The event will take place on May 24-25 at ADNEC Centre Al-Ain

ABU DHABI: The UAE Jiu-Jitsu and Mixed Martial Arts Federation will host the fourth UAE National MMA Championship at ADNEC Centre Al-Ain on May 24 and 25.

The event is expected to draw around 300 male and female athletes from across the UAE, representing various age categories and clubs.

The federation’s decision to organize the event in Al-Ain Region is part of an initiative to popularize mixed martial arts across the UAE. It also seeks to expand the sport’s grassroots base and provide a professional setting for young athletes to improve their technical and physical talents.

The championship features multiple divisions, including Youth D (ages 10–11), Youth C (ages 12–13), Youth B (ages 14–15), Youth A (ages 16–17), and the adult category (ages 18 and above), offering athletes a platform to compete, improve, and progress toward elite-level representation.

Mohammed Jassim Al-Hosani, a member of the federation’s Mixed Martial Arts Committee, said: “The UAE National MMA Championship, which has five rounds throughout the year, is vital to our championship calendar. Its growth in participation and geographic variety highlights the success of our nationwide development initiatives.

“Hosting this round in Al-Ain shows our commitment to inclusivity and equal opportunity for athletes nationwide. With the inclusion of the adults division, the championship’s intensity is increased, and athletes are exposed to a variety of competitive methods and skill sets.”


France’s Caroline Garcia says will retire from tennis

Updated 23 May 2025
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France’s Caroline Garcia says will retire from tennis

  • Caroline Garcia is an 11-time title winner on the WTA tour and former French Open women’s doubles champion

PARIS: France’s former world number four Caroline Garcia said on Friday she will retire from tennis, with the French Open starting this weekend her last time at Roland Garros.

An 11-time title winner on the WTA tour and former French Open women’s doubles champion, Garcia wrote on social media that she has “a few tournaments left” and will then call it quits.

“Dear tennis, it’s time to say goodbye,” the 31-year-old said.

“After 15 years competing at the highest level, and more than 25 years putting pretty much every second of my life into it, I feel ready to start a new chapter.”

Garcia has earned nearly $19 million in prize money and won the season-ending 2022 World Tour Finals, seen as the next rung down from Grand Slams.

That same year she won the French Open doubles title for the second time with compatriot Kristina Mladenovic.

Her best run in singles at a major was the semifinals of the US Open, also in 2022.

She reached a career-high four in the world but is now ranked 145th.

“My tennis journey hasn’t always been easy. Since my early days, tennis has been much more than just winning or losing. It’s been love or hate. Happiness or anger,” she wrote.

“But now it’s time for something else. My body and my personal goals need it.

“Still, this is not over — not just yet. I have a few tournaments left,” she said.

The first will be at Roland Garros when the tournament starts on Sunday.