Top Performers Claim Medals At Youth Games

Malaysia, Thailand, Hong Kong, and the Philippines claimed decisive wins, with Sri Lanka’s Sithuli Ranasinghe (21-4, 21-12) and Philippine Eve Bejasa (21-9, 21-4) asserting dominance in girls’ singles. The intensity carried over to Khalifa Sports City, where U17 girls’ futsal saw Bahrain struggle against Chinese Taipei, falling 0–8 despite strong showingS from Noreen Elmarsafawy, Ameena Aldoseri, and Mariam Hamada in goal. The match highlighted the gulf in finishing but also highlighted Bahrain’s willingness to compete against top-tier opponents, while Iran and China played to a 2–2 draw in an earlier contest.

At Exhibition World, the boxing quarterfinals impressed across several weight categories. Bahrain’s Almudhahki Abdulrahman was outpointed 5–0 by Tajikistan’s Abubakr Azizov in the boys’ 60kg division, as India, Kazakhstan, North Korea, Uzbekistan, and China recorded emphatic wins. The strategy in these bouts mirrored the high stakes seen on the equestrian track, where UAE’s Mohammed Umair Al-Rashedi and Khalifa Alghfeli sprinted to the finish in 45 seconds in the Boys’ 500m camel race. Bahrain’s Faisal Almoammari claimed fifth, proving the host nation’s competitiveness in regional endurance events.

Digital arenas at Exhibition World also impressed spectators, as Boys’ Street Fighter 6 1v1 action combined speed and strategy. Hong Kong’s Chan Pak Yin and Taiwan’s Lin Jun-xi dominated their groups, while Bahrain’s Faisal Alnafisi secured key wins, reflecting the host nation’s growing esports presence.

Handball at Umm Alhassam Sports Hall continued the theme of strong tactical play, with Iran, China, and India posting dominant wins. The energy from these fast-paced matches carried over to Khalifa Sports City, where the medal finals in swimming thrilled spectators. In the Boys’ 50m Freestyle, China’s Yushuguang He touched first in 22.88 seconds, narrowly ahead of Singapore’s Tedd Chan (23.39) and UAE’s Hussein Shawky (23.43). Hong Kong’s Sum Yiu Li claimed gold in the Girls’ 50m Freestyle with 25.59, out-touching China’s Zhiyu Zhang and Gilaine Ma. Iran’s Mohammadmahdi Gholami captured the Boys’ 100m Butterfly in 54.75, while China’s Siyao Li won the Girls’ 100m Butterfly in 1:00.51. Taiwan’s Yu-teng Huang and China’s Mingxia Sun dominated the Boys’ and Girls’ 200m Backstroke, respectively, while Korea’s Seungwoo Ko surged late to win the Boys’ 400m Freestyle, with China’s Fuzhen Yang taking the Girls’ title. The relay events added drama, with Korea claiming the Boys’ 4x100m Freestyle Relay in 3:24.89, and Hong Kong winning the Girls’ 4x100m Freestyle Relay in 3:45.60.

Weightlifting at Exhibition World rounded out the day with impressive displays of strength. China’s Lan Xinyi (girls’ 48kg) and Kazakhstan’s Alikhan Askerbay (boys’ 71kg) took gold, while Vietnam’s Nguyen Thanh Duy dominated boys’ 65kg.