Boxers primed for Asiad campaign

Chef de mission Ahmed Abdulghaffar, right, visits Bahrain’s boxing training camp in Japan

TDT | Manama

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Bahrain’s chef de mission Ahmed Abdulghaffar visited the kingdom’s boxing squad at their training camp in Japan as they completed preparations for the 20th Asian Games.

During the visit, Abdulghaffar reviewed the training programme and met Irish head coach John Conlan to assess the boxers’ readiness.

The five-member team begin their campaign today, with GCC Games champion Ali Abdalla facing Turkmenistan’s Bayramdurdy Nurmuhammedov in the men’s 70kg round of 32 at Nishio Gymnasium.

Following Abdalla’s opener, Omar Budhahei and Hamsa Vogel enter the ring on Wednesday.

Budhahei faces Iraq’s Mohammed Sattar Salih Shijlawi in the men’s 60kg round of 32, while Vogel meets India’s Ankush in the last 16 of the men’s 80kg division. Maryam Khamis, the kingdom’s only woman boxer, is entered in the 54kg category. The division’s last-16 bouts will be held on Friday, although her opponent has yet to be confirmed.

Jorge Luis Lobaina completes the line-up and will face Kyrgyzstan’s Bakyt Toktosun Uulu in the men’s 90kg last 16 on Saturday. Should they advance, Khamis, Budhahei and Vogel will contest their quarter-finals on September 27, while Abdalla and Lobaina could reach the same stage the following day.

The women’s 54kg, men’s 60kg and men’s 80kg semi-finals will be held on September 29, followed by the men’s 70kg and 90kg last-four bouts on September 30. All five weight classes featuring Bahraini fighters will conclude with their gold-medal bouts on October 2. Bahrain are seeking their first Asian Games boxing medal, having made their debut in the sport at Hangzhou 2022. Danis Latypov reached the men’s over-92kg quarter-finals at that edition, while Azat Makhmetov exited the 51kg competition in the round of 32.