Hero’s welcome for Bahrain boxing squad Hussain Almaskati

TDT | Manama

Email : hussainm@newsofbahrain.com

The Bahrain national boxing team returned to the Kingdom yesterday after a successful campaign at the GCC Games in Doha, where they collected a gold and silver medal along with a semifinal finish across multiple divisions.

The result marks one of Bahrain’s most productive regional outings in recent years, with the squad showing clear progress against strong Gulf opposition.

Speaking exclusively to TDT on arrival, Bahrain head coach John Conlan said the tournament provided a valuable measure of the team’s development.

“This tournament was important on many levels,” Conlan said. “It’s about building the programme, gaining experience, and testing ourselves against strong opposition in the region. Competitions like this help raise standards across the board.

“Of course, winning matters. Aly Abdalla’s gold medal is a reward for the hard work he’s put in during preparation, and performances like that give confidence to the whole squad. But equally important is the longterm development we’re seeing. I’ve been very pleased with the attitude and progression of all the athletes.”

The delegation was welcomed back by Dr. Moayyed Al Alawi, Head of the National Center for Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation at the Bahrain Olympic Committee (BOC), alongside teammates, officials, and supporters who gathered to celebrate the team’s achievements.

The standout performance came from Aly Abdalla, who claimed gold in the men’s 75kg division after a 4–1 split-decision victory over Qatar’s Mohammed Dbichi in the final.

Omar Budhahei secured silver in the men’s 60kg category, narrowly losing 4–1 on points to Saudi Arabia’s Ziad Majrashi in a closely contested bout that went to the judges’ scorecards.

In the men’s 80kg division, Rasheed Mehrinfar reached the semifinals but was edged out by Saudi Arabia’s Abdelrahman Sadek, falling just short of a place in the final.