Manama: Bahraini athletes continued their strong participation in the 3rd Asian Youth Games, hosted by the Kingdom of Bahrain until October 31 under the patronage of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa. The fifth day of competitions featured strong performances across several disciplines, including mixed martial arts (MMA), basketball, Muay Thai, beach volleyball, and handball.
According to Bahrain News Agency, in MMA, four Bahraini fighters advanced to the finals. Eldar Eldarov reached the 60kg final, while Abdulakim Babaev and Sultanakhmed qualified for the 65kg final after victories over Kazakhstan's Amir Serik and Indonesia's Gibran Alfarizi. Ibragim Khalidov also booked his place in the 70kg final after defeating Kazakhstan's Darian Mustafin.
In 3x3 basketball, Bahrain's youth team began strongly with two wins, beating Indonesia 21-15 and Kyrgyzstan 21-5 through cohesive play and consistent control.
In Muay Thai, Tanishi Bhowmik advanced after defeating Saudi Arabia's Fatima Al Ammari in the 54kg division.
In beach volleyball, the boys' team of Karrar Yaqoob and Hussain Al Warqaa earned their first win, overcoming the Maldives 2-1 (19-21, 21-12, 15-7). The girls' team lost narrowly to Mongolia 2-1 (21-5, 18-21, 15-1).
In futsal, Bahrain's girls' team lost to Iran 14-0, while the boys' team was defeated by China 6-0 in a challenging group stage.
In taekwondo, Yousif Ahmed and Yousif Qamber lost to Jordan's Mohammed Salmi and Abdullah Shaheen in the 48kg category. Shaikha Al Yaqoob was defeated by Oman's Shehnaz Waheed in the under-44kg event, while Aisha Khalid lost to Taiwan's Shin Wing in the under-63kg category.
In athletics, Ibrahim Al Adeeb and Shaikha Ahmed are set to compete in the 200m heats, while events in boxing, e-sports, golf, and triathlon also continue.
In handball, Bahrain will face Jordan at 7:00 p.m. in its third group-stage match at Khalifa Sports City Hall. The team, which has already secured two wins, aims for a third to strengthen its chances of reaching the semifinals.
Player Ahmed Hussain Eid said the team is well prepared after a short break and determined to maintain its momentum.
Futsal coach Mohammed Abdulkareem noted that the players gained valuable experience from their opening match against China and continue to improve with each game.
Basketball player Yousif Yaqoob said the team's early victories reflected its preparation and teamwork, expressing confidence in maintaining focus in the upcoming rounds.