Qatar’s Tosin Ogunode and Ammar Ibrahim (below) celebrate after winning the gold medals in the 100m and 400m respectively at the GGC Games in Kuwait on Monday.
Qatar bagged three gold and one silver on the opening day of the GCC Games in Kuwait on Monday.
Qatar's first gold came through Samar Mansouri who emerged best in the women’s pole vault event (3.40m). The other two gold medals were won by Tosin Ogunode and Ammar Ibrahim.
Qatar’s Jakarta Asian Games silver medallist Ogunode blazed to victory in the men’s 100m clocking 10.05secs, Qatar’s Ibrahim topped the men’s 400m final in 45.76secs.
The opening day action also saw Qatar win a silver with Saeed al-Absi finishing second in the men’s 110m hurdles. Al-Absi clocked 14.08secs while Kuwait’s Yaqoub al-Youha claimed gold finishing in 13.65secs. Oman’s Khalfan al-Jabri settled for the bronze in 15.04secs.
Almost 1700 athletes from six GCC nations are competing at the Gulf Games in 16 disciplines including handball, volleyball, basketball, futsal, swimming, athletes, shooting, karate, judo, tennis, cycling, ice-hockey, table tennis, padel and e-sports.
Women are competing for the first time in seven sports, including futsal, e-sports, athletics, cycling, 3x3 basketball, padel and table tennis. Over 173 team Qatar athletes are participating at the Games in all disciplines except futsal and ice-hockey.
The second day of the Games will begin with shooting competitions at the Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmad Olympic Shooting Complex.
Competitions will start with trap event where shooters will shoot a round of 75 targets, while the 10m air pistol event will be held at 10.30am, and will be followed by the finals.
The finals of the 50m rifle will be held at 2pm.
The Secretary-General of Kuwait and Arab Shooting Federations Obaid al-Osaimi welcomed the Gulf teams that are participating at the Games, adding that all is ready for the competitions under the new laws that will be implemented for the first time at the Games and that the changes will be implemented officially during the Paris 2024 Olympics.
He said Kuwait Shooting Federation and club were keen on providing all participation teams with their requirements in co-operation with Kuwait Olympic Committee and its President Sheikh Fahad al-Nasser al-Sabah and Public Authority for Sport and its Director General Dr Humoud Fulaiteh.
Head of the shotgun referees committee Hamad al-Ruwaisan said the Games will apply the new law of the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) in both the skeet and trap events.
