RIYADH: In a historic milestone for Saudi sports, boxer Naif Al-Ghazwani has qualified for the Youth Olympic Games, which is scheduled to take place in Dakar, Senegal, from Oct. 31 to Nov. 13.
Al-Ghazwani’s qualification marks the first time a Saudi athlete has reached the Olympic stage in the sport of boxing.
The achievement follows a comprehensive strategic road map designed by the Saudi Boxing Federation, which began with the Kingdom’s Belt Championship for youth categories, a scouting platform that identified promising talents. From this pool, successful boxers were selected for an intensive developmental program.
Boxers underwent rigorous training at the Mike Tyson Club under the supervision of specialized federation coaches. This was followed by an overseas training camp in Thailand, aimed at honing the athletes’ technical and physical readiness.
These efforts resulted in Al-Ghazwani’s participation with the Saudi national team at the Under-19 World Boxing Futures Cup, where he secured his Olympic berth after a decisive victory over Italy’s Francesco Zonile.
