Bahrain miss basketball title

Manama : Bahrain last night missed an opportunity to add another gold medal to their tally at the Fifth GCC Women’s Games, being held in Doha, Qatar after losing 50-67 to the hosts and reigning champions Qatar in the gold medal match at the Aspire Dome, as their dream of winning their first-ever basketball gold medal in  the history of the games go up in smoke.
Despite putting on a solid performance in the first leg tie, which they lost by a narrow margin of 56-58, the Bahrainis could do little this time to match the overall strength and abilities of the Qatari players, who retained the championship crown.
The results put Qatar three points clear ahead of Bahrain, who had to settle for the silver, while the UAE captured the bronze in this three-nation double round robin competition.
Hessa Al Jaber, Fatima Fardeen, Rini, Fatma Bushihri, Sima Ali, Hessa Ahmed and Layla Mohanmmed spearheaded Bahrain, coached by Fadel Milad, in last night’s decider.
Qatar who picked up their third straight win, have a match to spare and play the UAE tonight and will be officially crowned champions in a prize-presentation ceremony after the match.
Last night’s game was witnessed by Supreme Council for Youth and Sports Deputy General Secretary and Bahrain Olympic Committee (BOC) board member, Women’s Sport Committee chairwoman and delegation head Shaikha Hayat bint Abdulaziz Al Khalifa as well as other Bahrain delegation representatives.
Bahrain had also competed in seven other sports – handball, volleyball, bowling, table tennis, taekwondo, fencing and shooting during the 11-day games, which which has featured 10 sports in total and also involving teams from hosts Qatar, the UAE and Oman.
Meanwhile, the organising committee chairman and Qatar Olympic Committee general secretary Dr Thani Al Kuwari chaired the executive office meeting on the sidelines of the games, when a number of subjects were brought up at the meeting, while several decisions and recommendations were declared.
The games will come to an end today with what promises to be a very spectacular closing ceremony. It will be held under the patronage of Vice Chairperson and CEO of Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development HE Shaikha Hind bint Hamad Al Thani.