HANGZHOU: A gold medal in show jumping and a bronze in karate on Friday upped Saudi Arabia’s medal tally to nine in the 19th Asian Games, being held in Hangzhou, China.
In the individual show jumping competition, Saudi rider Abdullah Al-Sharbatly won gold after completing the final round in 39.68 seconds.
Saudi athletes have so far collected four gold, two silver, and three bronze medals in Hangzhou 2022.
Al-Sharbatly ranked first ahead of his UAE contenders, who came in second and third.
With a spectacular performance in the first and second rounds of individual show jumping, he qualified for the final round without committing an error with times of 77.95 and 75.14 seconds. Al-Sharbatly’s Friday medal was his second gold in this edition of the Games.
Rider Abdulrahman Al-Rajhi ended his Asian participation by exiting the individual show jumping competition in the second round after registering a time of 76.06 seconds.
In karate, Green Falcons team member, Tarek Hamedi, took bronze in the over-84 kg weight category after defeating Nepal’s Shrestha Biplav in the third and fourth-place match with a score of 9-1.
It was Hamedi’s second Asian bronze medal after picking up his first in the Jakarta 2018 Asian Games.
Meanwhile, teammate Saud Al-Bashir missed the chance to win the bronze medal in the under-60 kg class after losing to Jordan’s Abdullah Hammad 2-5.
Weightlifter Njwd Al-Khrmy finished eighth in the 87 kg competition after lifting 67 kg in the snatch and 87 kg in the clean and jerk, with a total of 154 kg.
Lama Al-Madani and Abdullah Al-Ghanam went out of the Jiu-Jitsu competition with Al-Madani losing to her Thai contender 2-5 in the Round of 16 under-57 kg weight category, and Al-Ghanam going down 2-0 to his Uzbek competitor in the same round in the under-77 kg weight class.
The Green Falcons’ basketball team finished sixth in the competition after losing to Iran 60-92 on Friday.
Saudi show jumper, karate player, up Kingdom’s medal tally to 9 in Asian Games
https://arab.news/mjnm6
Saudi show jumper, karate player, up Kingdom’s medal tally to 9 in Asian Games
- Rider Abdullah Al-Sharbatly won gold after completing final round in 39.68 seconds
- Saudi athletes have so far collected 4 gold, 2 silver, 3 bronze medals in Hangzhou 2022
E1 World Championship opens 2026 season in Jeddah with expanded field, growing global profile
- Season’s opener features record 10 teams
JEDDAH: The 2026 UIM E1 World Championship presented by PIF will launch its new season in Jeddah, with the Red Sea city once again hosting the world’s first all-electric raceboat series, and champions Team Brady beginning their title defense against an expanded and competitive field.
Set against Jeddah’s Red Sea coastline, the season-opening E1 Jeddah GP 2026, which takes place over Jan. 23-24, will feature a record 10 teams racing the cutting-edge E1 RaceBirds, underlining the rapid growth of the championship and its ambitions as a global competition spanning four continents.
Team Brady are the outfit to beat, having claimed the Champions of the Water title in 2024 and 2025. However, competition is expected to be fiercer than ever, with several teams strengthening their lineups ahead of the new campaign.
Team Monaco and Sierra Racing Club join the championship for 2026, adding further depth to the grid with a mix of experienced and emerging pilots. Team Rafa, who finished just 11 points behind Team Brady last season after a title fight that went down to the final laps, are widely regarded as one of the leading contenders and will be aiming to make an early statement in Jeddah.
Team AlUla Championed by LeBron James also return to race on home waters, one year on from their E1 debut. Carrying local pride, the team will be looking to build on last season’s momentum in front of Saudi fans.
The world-class field is further strengthened by a roster of high-profile, celebrity-backed teams, including Will Smith’s Team Westbrook, DJ Steve Aoki’s Team Aoki, Team Drogba, led by football legend Didier Drogba and his partner Gabrielle Lemaire, and Team Miami, featuring Grammy Award-winning artist Marc Anthony.
Fans will be able to get close to the action across qualifying and race day, with on-water viewing available from the E1 Fan Zone. The area will give visitors the chance to see the E1 RaceBirds up close and will feature a gaming arena with simulator and virtual reality experiences, as well as a VOX cinema screening of “Zootopia 2.” Merchandise outlets and a range of food and beverage options will also be available, creating a family-friendly race-day experience.
Beyond the racing, E1’s return to Saudi Arabia reflects the Kingdom’s growing role in shaping the future of electric sport and sustainable mobility. The championship serves as a living laboratory for electric propulsion systems, accelerating innovation that can influence marine transport while also supporting broader conversations around ocean protection.
As part of its partnership with E1, Formula E’s Driving Force Presented by PIF E360 is hosting its educational program in Jeddah this week. The initiative aims to inspire students aged 8 to 18 to explore science, technology, engineering and mathematics, as well as sustainability, through the lens of electric racing.
The program reached more than 60,000 students globally in 2025 alone, with a further 50,000 targeted this year, taking its reach to over 100,000 young people worldwide.
On the sporting side, PIF’s commitment to excellence will again be recognized through the PIF Pilot of the Day award, presented after finals day to honor standout skill and performance over the race weekend.
Alejandro Agag, founder and chairman of E1, said: “Starting our 2026 season in Jeddah is a powerful statement for E1. The region represents ambition, innovation and a clear vision for the future, and the Red Sea provides the perfect environment as our largest grid yet of 10 teams begin their battle to be crowned 2026 Champions of the Water.”
The Jeddah race is set to deliver high-intensity competition, renewed rivalries and an early glimpse into the future of high-performance racing on water.
