Two national swimming records set at Saudi Games

Two national swimming records were set at the Saudi Games 2022 on Monday. (SOPC)
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Updated 01 November 2022
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Two national swimming records set at Saudi Games

  • Monday’s action also saw the para table-tennis final, and more group matches in futsal, volleyball and handball
  • National swimming records set by Yousif Buareesh and Ali Alessa

Two national swimming records were set on Monday at this year’s Saudi Games, which continues in Riyadh until Nov. 7. Here are the day’s highlights.

Swimming

Yousif Buareesh set a new record of 24.4 seconds in the Men’s 50m Butterfly at the Olympic and Paralympic Committee Complex. Silver went to Natheer Al-Hamoud (24.96), and bronze to Hassan Ali Al-Yousef (26.55).

Ali Alessa broke the second record of the day in the Men’s 200m Backstroke with a time of two minutes and 10 seconds. Ali Al-Sadeq won silver (2:20.2), while Aqeel Al-Hashim took bronze (2:22.09).

Three more swimming finals took place on Monday.

Sultan Al-Otaibi took gold in the Men’s 100m Breaststroke with a time of one minute and 6.62 seconds. In second place was Yousuf Al-Yousuf (1:06.96), and Abdullah Mohammed Al-Rasheed in third (1:07.43).

In the Men’s 100m Freestyle, Emadaldeen Zaben won gold with a time of 52.30 seconds, while Faisal Al-Shilaty came second (53.28), and Shereef Fawzy third (54.42).

In the Men’s 200m Medley, Alexandre Younes won gold with a time of two minutes and 7.36 seconds. Mohammed Al-Otaibi took silver (2:18.29), while Abdulqader Younes won bronze (2:19.42).

The medals were awarded by Vice-President of the Saudi Olympic and Paralympic Committee and Director of the Saudi Games, Prince Fahd bin Jalawi bin Abdulaziz bin Musaed. 

Para Table Tennis

Riyadh club athlete Nasser Hassan Siraj won gold in the final against Abdulrahman Hassan Bahari of Al-Madina Al-Monawara Sporting Club. Mohammed Al-Shamri of Ha’il won bronze.

Medals were presented at the Prince Faisal Bin Fahd Olympic Complex by the Deputy Director of the SOPC and the Deputy Director of the Saudi Games, Princess Delayel Nahar Al Saud.

Volleyball

In the Women’s groups, Al-Faisali beat Al-Nahda 3-0, while Al-Eitifaq defeated Al-Nasser by the same score.

In the Men’s groups, Al-Faisali won 3-1 against Abha. Al-Hilal beat Ibtsam 3-0.

Handball

Three group matches took place on Monday at KSU Arena’s Centre Court. The results were:

Al-Ahli 26-24 Al-Khowildiah

Al-Noor 30-30 Al-Wehda 

Al-Trraji 32-25 Al-Safa 

Futsal

Monday’s results for the Men’s group matches were:

Al-Qadisiyah 4-2 AlUla 

Al-Nassr 5-4 Riyadh 

Musadaa 5-5 Al-Ardh 

Al-Eitifaq 6-0 FAO


Top Saudi teams set for ESL Saudi Challenge 2026 finals

Updated 26 January 2026
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Top Saudi teams set for ESL Saudi Challenge 2026 finals

  • Leading esports teams feature in competition

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s leading esports teams will go head-to-head later this week as the ESL Saudi Challenge 2026 reaches its decisive stages, underlining the Kingdom’s growing ambition to develop local talent and strengthen its professional gaming ecosystem.

Organized by ESL FACEIT Group, the tournament is designed to provide Saudi players with a clear pathway into elite-level competition while reinforcing Saudi Arabia’s position as a global hub for gaming and esports.

The online phase of the Overwatch 2 competition took place on Jan. 23-24, with the action set to culminate in a live LAN final on Jan. 30 at EFG Studios in Riyadh.

The competition features a total prize pool of $20,000, offering a significant incentive for emerging Saudi esports talent and reflecting the rising professionalism of the Kingdom’s national scene.

The lineup for the second stage has now been confirmed, blending established names with ambitious newcomers. Defending champions Twisted Minds return to defend their title against Kurohana, Newgens, and Lunar Crew, who secured their places through the qualification rounds. With only three teams progressing to the finals, the stakes remain high on the national stage.

Franck Guignery, senior vice president and managing director for the Middle East and Africa at EFG, said: “The ESL Saudi Challenge represents an important milestone in our ongoing commitment to the Saudi esports community.

“Through this competition we aim to empower Saudi players to refine their skills and demonstrate their potential within a high-stakes, professional environment, while contributing meaningfully to the development of a sustainable ecosystem that enables local talent to progress from national competition to global stages.”

The ESL Saudi Challenge aligns with the objectives of Saudi Arabia’s National Gaming and Esports Strategy, supporting talent development and the long-term growth of the Kingdom’s gaming and esports sector.

Positioned as a Saudi-focused competitive platform, the tournament forms part of EFG’s long-term approach to reinforcing professional standards, enabling talent progression, and fostering community-driven competition.

Through initiatives such as the ESL Saudi Challenge, EFG aims to ensure that Saudi esports talent is equipped to compete successfully not only at home, but also on regional and international stages.