Bahrain’s Women Uphold Athletics Legacy

TDT | Manama

Email : hussainm@newsofbahrain.com

Following Tuesday’s dominant showing where Bahrain struck four golds on the track, the Kingdom continued its golden run yesterday at Prince Faisal Bin Fahad Stadium, claiming three more gold medals at the sixth Islamic Solidarity Games. Nelly Korir, Salwa Eid Naser, and Winfred Yavi each put in sensational performances in their respective events, further cementing Bahrain’s position as a global athletics powerhouse.

Korir struck first, taking the women’s 800m final in 2:02.59. The 34-year-old tactically timed her race, surging past Uganda’s Halima Nakaayi and Morocco’s Soukaina Hajji in the home straight. Korir’s composed finish not only secured gold but also highlighted her experience in mid-distance racing, adding another jewel to her impressive record at the Games.

Moments later, Salwa Eid Naser claimed gold in the women’s 400m, clocking 51.59. Naser, who also won three golds at the 2017 Islamic Solidarity Games in Baku, ran with her trademark speed and authority, holding off Nigeria’s Patience Okon George and Uganda’s Leni Shida. Her seamless acceleration through the final 100 meters showed why she remains one of Asia’s most decorated sprinters.

The evening’s track domination continued with Winfred Yavi, who powered to gold in the women’s 5000m in 15:43.51. Already the winner of the 3000m steeplechase at these Games and a gold medallist in the steeplechase at the 5th Islamic Solidarity Games in Konya in 2021, the 25-year-old led from the front, fending off Uganda’s Charity Cherop and Djibouti’s Samiya Hassan Nour. Yavi’s endurance and tactical nous made the 5000m a showcase of Bahrain’s depth in distance running.

Not all Bahraini efforts were successful, however, as Zouhair Aouad failed to finish the men’s 1500m, where Morocco’s Anass Essayi took gold, Turkey’s Mehmet Celik claimed silver, and Algeria’s Chott Anis earned bronze. Bahrain did, however, add silver in the women’s 4x100m relay, capping off the athletics programme for the day. Layla Kamal, Edidiong Odiong, Raihanah Garoubah, and Hajar Alkhaldi ran a strong, competitive race, keeping Bahrain in contention throughout. They crossed the finish line in 44.47, just behind Nigeria’s 44.27, securing a hard-earned silver to close a remarkable day for the Kingdom’s athletics team.

Bahrain now have a total of 23 medals at the Games, including 13 golds, 5 silvers, and 5 bronze medals. This haul places them fifth in the overall medal standings, behind Turkiye, Uzbekistan, Iran, and Egypt, because rankings prioritize gold medals over total medals. With athletics drawing to a close, today marks the final day of track and field competition and the penultimate day of the Games, with Nelly Korir set to again challenge for gold in the women’s 1500m, offering Bahrain another opportunity to extend their medal tally.