RIYADH — The Saudi Paralympic athletes have outdone their last year's performance after ending the 3rd West Asian Para Games with 46 medals and placing sixth in the event held in Bahrain from Feb. 19 to 26 with the participation of 12 countries.

The team collected (10 gold, 17 silver, and 19 bronze medals). First place went to Iraq, UAE placed second, and Kuwait came third.

The final day saw the delivery of eight medals, including; the basketball silver medal after beating Bahrain, while weightlifter Saeed Hawasawi delivered the bronze in the (88kg category).

In athletic the athletes had their share of victories as Hani Alnakhli delivered a silver medal in the discus throw in the (F33 category). In the same event, Khalid Alahmari (f34 category) landed a bronze medal, while his colleague Radi Alharthi (f51 category) brought a silver medal.

Thursday (Feb. 24) witnessed the highest number of medals reaching 18 medals (2 gold, seven silver, and nine bronze). Hani Alnakhli brought the two gold in the (33 categories), Abdulrahman Alqurashi in the 200m (t53 category). Adnan Nour got a silver medal in weightlifting in the 44 kg category, Abadah Hawasawi in the 65kg category, and Aseel Hawasawi in the 72 kg category.

Runner Jamaan Alzahrani (200m race), Ali Alnakhli in the 200m (t37 category), thrower Haidar Salami in the discus throw (f57 category), and a bronze in the arrow throw category (f57) were the other medal winners.

Mariam Almuraisel and Salih Alghamdi brought silver in the mixed doubles event in badminton. Adnan Hadda in the 65kg weightlifting event and Tariq Alghaith in the 72kg event fetched the additional bronze.

The Boccia team event brought a bronze medal, while the badminton doubles Thamir Alhabshan and Jazaa Alshamri brought a bronze in the standing doubles. Alhanouf Abu Haimad in the arrow throw (category 33), and thrower Nada Alhumaidani in the category (57) too won, while runner Albaraa took the bronze in the 200m in category t54 and thrower Khalid Alahmari in the arrow throw in category t34.

In addition, earlier on Wednesday, the team collected 17 medals (6 gold, six silver, and five bronze). Ali Alnakhli (1 gold) in the men's 100m race, Hani Alnakhli (1 gold) in the men's discus throw. Abdulrahman Alqurashi (2 gold) in the men's 100m and 400m (t53 category), in addition to Jamaan Alzahrani in the 100m race (54T category).

While the silver medalists of the day were Mukhtar Aldawa in the discus throw, badminton player Thamir Alhabshan, Jazaa Alshammari, Salih Alghamdi, and Fawaz Ajarim; and Haidar Salami in the discus throw (category F57).

Ghalia Alonaizi in the badminton singles delivered a bronze, in addition to Ahmed Alalwani in the 100m race (T34 category) and Nada Alhumaidani in the women's discus throw. Albaraa Algarni also collected a bronze in the (54T category) and Jamaan Alzahrani in the 400m race).

It all started thanks to Saudi Arabian Boccia athlete Khaleel Eissa Daabal who began the celebration with his first gold medal in the (bc4 category). His teammates followed with the second gold through Lujain Althaqafi in the women (BC3 category) and Ziyad Aljihani's silver medal in the (Bc3 category). — SG