Bahrain bag 31 medals, Ayash shines

Manama : Bahrain’s national weightlifting team clinched 31 medals (six gold, six silver and 19 bronze) which included Hamad Ayash winning three gold in the junior categories against Tunisian and Jordanian competitors in the Afro-Asian Weightlifting championships in Amman, Jordan.

Stepping up, Ayash then competed in the 94 and in 105kg category and won three silver medals against UAE and Jordan lifters and in the 105+kg adults clinched three bronze.

Bahrain team were welcomed home on return by high-ranking officials, headed by Bahrain Olympic Committee (BOC) general secretary Abdulrahman Askar and Bahrain Weightlifting and Bodybuilding Federation president Shaikh Abdulla bin Rashid Al Khalifa at Bahrain International Airport.

Askar congratulated members of the team and conveyed the greetings of Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa, representative of His Majesty the King for Charity Works and Youth Affairs, Supreme Council for Youth and Sports chairman and BOC president.

Askar praised the efforts of delegation members who played a major part in the achievement and Shaikh Abdulla noted the impressive results of the team and ability to compete at a high level.

Bahrain team members included Hussain Matooq, Hamad Ayash in the junior, youth and adults and veteran Yousuf Shirawi in youth and adults, coached by Redha Matooq, while Sarah Ateeq and Zahra Mahfoodh competed in the women’s competition, with the delegation headed by Bahrain Bodybuilding and Weightlifting Federation Director Hussain Issa Al Hayki.