Bahrain team shine at IMMAF

Manama : Bahrain’s National Mixed Martials Arts (MMA) team achieved four medals, including one gold and three bronze in the 2017 International Mixed Martial Arts Federation (IMMAF) Asian Open Championships, held in Singapore.

The national team won gold in the featherweight 66kg category title after Russain fighter Abdulmanap Megomedov, defeated Kazakhstan’s Bekzat Zhassiya via a unanimous decision.

Hussain Ayyad, Mohammed Abbas and Nayef Fikri achieved bronze medals in the 56.2kg, 70kg and 77kg categories.

HH Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa, First Deputy President of the Supreme Council for Youth and Sports, Honourary President of the Bahrain Disabled Sports Federation, extended his deepest congratulations to the wise leadership and HH Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa, representative of His Majesty the King for Charity Works and Youth Affairs, Chairman of the Supreme Council for Youth and Sports, President of Bahrain Olympic Committee, on the occasion. 

Shaikh Khalid stressed these results reflects the position Bahraini sports has reached and achieved due to the support of the wise leadership and raising the flag of Bahrain and also praised the efforts of Shaikh Nasser in promoting the sports movement in Bahrain and strengthening it’s position on the continental and international map particularly in Mixed Martial
Arts.

“We are excited and filled with joy over the National MMA team achievement in the Asian Open for Amateurs Championship, confirming we are on the right path according to the plan we have set and we will continue to follow, said Shaikh Khalid adding, “This is an opportunity to prepare our fighters for the next participations, especially the most important participation, which is the World Championship for Amateurs, which will be hosted and organised by Bahrain from November 12 to 19. We look forward to gain a gold medal in it.”

Also praised was the technical staff led by coach Eldar Eldarov to prepare the team in a suitable manner for participation under the chairmanship of Colonel Khalid Abdulaziz Al Khayyat, which was being held for the first time in Asia.

Megomedov carved the name of Bahrain on the honour board at the championships for Amateurs after winning his bout. He came out of the ring excitedly carrying the flag of Bahrain with tears of joy filling his eyes after achieving this result, which is now written in the records of the champions of this competition organised by the International Federation Mixed Martial Arts (IMMAF).