RIYADH: The Iranian national team took the futsal gold medal at the 2025 Islamic Solidarity Games, defeating Morocco 5–0 in the final at Riyad’s Prince Faisal bin Fahd Olympic Complex.
In the bronze medal match, Uzbekistan edged Saudi Arabia 6–5 on penalties after a 1–1 draw in the battle for bronze.
The futsal tournament, which began on Nov. 4, featured teams from Azerbaijan, Afghanistan, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Uzbekistan, Iran, Tajikistan, and Libya, marking the first official competition of Riyadh 2025.
Swimming champions crowned by Fahd bin Jalawi
Prince Fahd bin Jalawi, chairman of the games’ Supreme Organizing Committee, awarded medals to the winners of the 200m freestyle swimming competition.
Turkiye’s Ahmet Meti Buyukoglu clinched gold, with Ilia Sibirtsev (UZB) taking silver and Mohammad Ghasemi (IRI) the bronze.
In the women’s 200m freestyle, gold went to Ecem Donmez Ogretir (TUR), Gloria Anna Muzito (UGA) taking silver. Ogretir’s compatriot, Defne Tanig, was in third and won bronze.
Saudi swimmer Zaid Al-Sarraj won the men’s 100m freestyle gold, ahead of Ali Thamer Hassan (QAT) and fellow Saudi Emad Zaben, while in the women’s event, Gloria Anna Muzito (UGA) took gold, Gizem Guvenc (TUR) earned silver, and Oumy Diop (SEN) claimed bronze.
Turkiye also secured gold in both the men’s and women’s 4×100m medley relay events, with Kazakhstan and Indonesia taking silver and bronze in the men’s race, and Indonesia and Algeria completing the women’s podium.
Egypt and Kazakhstan dominate weightlifting
Egyptian and Kazakh lifters shared the spotlight in Tuesday’s weightlifting events held at Boulevard Riyadh City.
Rahma Elsayed (EGY) took gold in both the snatch and total, and bronze in the clean and jerk (women’s 86kg). Rigina Adashbaeva (KAZ) took three silver medals, while Mahsa Beheshty (IRI) won gold in the clean and jerk, as well as two bronzes.
In the men’s 94kg, Nurgissa Adiletuly (KAZ) claimed three gold medals, followed by Alireza Moeini Sedeh (IRI) with three silvers, and Karim Abokahla (EGY) with two bronzes (snatch and total). Hakan Sukru Kurnaz (TUR) claimed bronze in the clean and jerk.
In the women’s 77kg, Sarah Matthew (NGA) took gold in the snatch, Sara Ahmed (EGY) earned silver, and Seyedeh Zahrah Hosseini (IRI) took bronze. Ahmed later won two gold medals in the clean and jerk and total, ahead of Matthew and Ayanat Zumagali (KAZ).
The weightlifting competition ends on Wednesday with the 110kg, +110kg (men) and +86kg (women) categories.
Six champions take honors on karate opening day
The karate competitions began at the Prince Faisal bin Fahd Sports City combat arena on Tuesday, with six athletes crowned champions across various weight divisions.
In the men’s 60kg, Turkiye’s Eray Samdan claimed gold after defeating Abdullah Shaban (KUW), who took silver, while Saud Al-Besher (KSA) and Zholoman Begabyl (KAZ) shared bronze.
Kazakhstan’s Nikita Tarniyakin won the men’s 84kg gold, overcoming Mohammad Al-Jaafari (JOR), while Reda Masoudi (JOR) and Meydoun Falih (UAE) earned bronze.
In men’s kata, Turkiye’s Enes Ozdemir took gold, Sayed Mohammad Al-Moussawi (KUW) won silver, and Roman Heydarov (AZE) and Ziad Youssef (ALG) claimed bronze.
Among the women, Sara Bahmanyar (IRI) won gold in the 50kg class, defeating Gulshan Alimdarova (UZB), with Abeer Al-Shehri (KSA) and Abigayle Adebayo (CIV) taking bronze.
In women’s 55kg, Sevinch Rakhimova (UZB) earned gold, Chaimae El-Haity (MAR) took silver, and Asrar Jassim (KUW) with Medina Sadigova (AZE) secured bronze.
The women’s kata title went to Fatemeh Sadeghi Dastak (IRI), followed by Dilara Bozan (TUR) and Narmeen Aicha Dahlab (ALG) with silver and bronze respectively.
Karate competitions continue on Wednesday.
Volleyball sees wins for Turkiye, Iran and Bahrain
Turkiye’s men’s and women’s volleyball teams took straight-set (3–0) victories on Tuesday, defeating Saudi Arabia and Tajikistan, respectively.
Elsewhere, Bahrain overcame Chad 3–0 in the men’s competition, while Iran’s women defeated Afghanistan in similar fashion.
Wednesday’s schedule features four matches: Iran vs. Tajikistan and Azerbaijan vs. Afghanistan in the women’s division, followed by Qatar vs. Bahrain and Saudi Arabia vs. Iran in the men’s bracket.
