Edidiong Odiong’s remarkable win at Asian Games keeps Bahrain at the Arab summit

JAKARTA: Edidiong Odiong secured her second gold of the Asian Games on Wednesday to help Bahrain’s medal count climb yet further and ensure the tiny Kingdom remains by far the most successful Arab Nation at the ongoing multisport event in Indonesia.
The 21-year-old won Women’s 100-meters gold earlier this week and, inside the Gelora Bung Karno Stadium in Jakarta, she added the Women’s 200m with a winning time of 22.96 seconds. Occupying the fifth track in the first 100m, she kept pace with the group, but once entering the last 100m she broke away to finish 0.24 ahead of second-placed Dutee Chand of India.
In the Men’s event, Odiong’s compatriot Yaqoob Yaqoob finished behind winner Yuki Koike of Japan and Chunhan Yang of Chinese Taipei to take bronze. Bahrain arrived in Southeast Asia with an average of less than 10 medals over six separate iterations of the continental showpiece, but this week’s exploits in athletics has seen the country’s NOC already claim 18 medals, of which half are gold.
Saudi Arabia had hoped to add to their gold, two silvers and a bronze when Hussain Al-Hizam competed in the Men’s Pole Vault. Having taken an early lead, however, he failed to clear 5.50m and 5.60m, eventually finishing joint-fifth, well behind winner Seito Yamamoto of Japan, who cleared 5.70m. The Kingdom’s Water Polo team also lost 20-4 to Japan, but will meet Iran in Thursday’s quarterfinal.
Elsewhere, Iraqi athlete secured his country only their third medal of this month’s Games, a second silver, this time in Men’s Dicus Throw. Mustafa Al-Saamahthrew 59.89 meters,while Ehsan Hadadi of Iran won it with a massive 65.71m. Iraqi boxer Jaafar Al-Sudani lost 4-1 to Indonesia’s Sunan Amoragem in his Men’s Bantamweight quarterfinal, while compatriot Karrar Aal Ezirej lost 4-0 to Daisuke Narimatsu of Japan in the Light Welterwight quarterfinal.
Yemeni Mohammed Salem lost 10-0 to Shengting Huang in the Men’s Under-66kg Round of 32 Karate, while Ali Mohsen Khousrof and Mohamed Al Saedi both lost in their respective Round of 16 ties in Under-60kg and Under-66kg.
And the UAE football team slipped to defeat in the semifinal of the Men’s Football. The Young Whites lost 1-0 to Japan and will now face Vietnam on Saturday for the bronze medal,
“Of course, I am sad with the result, but very happy that we reached the final four — it’s very important for us, especially as no other team from West Asian got to the semis,” said Macie Skorza, the UAE’s Polish head coach. “It is very important for us. I have been working with this team only since March so this month’s competition will give very good experience to my players for the future. I wish we achieve the same in the qualifying for Tokyo 2020.”