Bahrain’s MMA team wins World Amateur Championship

TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

Bahrain’s national mixed martial arts (MMA) team won the title of the World Amateur MMA Championships, which was organised by the International Mixed Martial Arts Federation (IMMAF) in cooperation with the UAE Mixed Martial Arts Federation from January 24-29 in the UAE capital Abu Dhabi.

The team managed to win 6 gold, 1 silver, and 3 bronze medals in the senior category, thus achieving first place in this section. Also, the team earned two silver and two bronze medals in the junior category, bringing the team’s total wins in this tournament to 14 coloured medals.

His Highness Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa, First Deputy Chairman of the Supreme Council for Youth and Sports (SCYS), President of the General Sports Authority (GSA) and President of Bahrain Olympic Committee (BOC), extended his utmost congratulations to His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, and His Highness Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Representative of His Majesty the King for Humanitarian Works and Youth Affairs and President of the SCYS, on the occasion of this honourable outcome achieved by Bahrain’s national mixed martial arts team in this tournament.

HH Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa said: “We express our great pride in the historic and first-of-its-kind achievement of Bahrain’s national mixed martial arts team in the World Amateur Championships. This latest edition of the tournament witnessed the great results of the care and support that Bahrain’s sports sector and athletes enjoy from His Majesty the King and His Royal Highness the Crown Prince and Prime Minister. Moreover, this achievement was the result of the distinguished efforts of HH Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa, who advanced the sports sector and pushed various sports in the Kingdom to reach brilliant levels in various continental and international participations and tournaments, which enhanced the prestigious position occupied by the Kingdom of Bahrain on the world sports map.”

His Highness continued: “We are very pleased with the unprecedented result achieved by the team in its first participation this year, which confirms that it is progressing according to the vision we set for it in this sport, which was fulfilled in record time and surpassed many countries that preceded us in this sport. Bahrain’s mixed martial arts team managed to reach this advanced stage and win the title of the World Championships in the senior category, which enhances the Kingdom of Bahrain’s lead in the global rankings of mixed martial arts.”

HH Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa congratulated HH Shaikh Salman bin Mohammed Al Khalifa, Vice President of the GSA and President of the Bahrain Combat Sports Council (BCSC), on this outstanding achievement, which is added to the series of accomplishments achieved by Bahrain’s martial sports.

Moreover, it reflects the efforts made by the BCSC in implementing the work mechanisms that prompted the federations under the umbrella of the Council to continue their efforts in developing the level of the sport and its affiliates to achieve more success.

In addition, His Highness congratulated the president, members, and affiliates of the Bahrain Mixed Martial Arts Federation (BMMAF) on this honourable result, praising the efforts made by the Federation, headed by Mohammed Ali Qamber, in creating the ideal atmosphere for the team to prepare for this tournament and accomplish this achievement.

Moreover, His Highness praised the excellent athletic levels presented by the team members in this global sports forum, which reflected the fighting spirit, will and determination with which the team members were armed in this tournament that allowed them to achieve this historic result for Bahrain’s mixed martial arts in the World Amateur MMA Championship.

Proud of the Team’s Achievement

For his part, HH Shaikh Salman bin Mohammed Al Khalifa, Vice President of the GSA and President of the Bahrain Combat Sports Council (BCSC), said: “We are proud of what Bahrain’s mixed martial arts team has achieved in the amateur world, which comes as an affirmation of the support that sport enjoys from His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa and the attention and care of His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa.”

His Highness continued: “This achievement reflects the outstanding efforts made by HH Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa and HH Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa which contributed to the advancement of the Kingdom’s sports sector and raised the level of its members to excel and shine in various participations.”

MEDAL TALLY - TEAM BAHRAIN - IMMAF WORLDS JUNIOR & SENIOR

GOLD - 

Women’s Strawweight - Aieza Ramos

Women’s Flyweight - Beatriz Consuli

Women’s Featherweight - Sabrina Sousa

Men’s Lightweight - Kurban Idrisov

Men’s Welterweight - Ramazan Gitinov

Men’s Heavyweight - Rasul Magomedov

SILVER - 

Women’s Bantamweight - Raiane Guimaraes

Junior Flyweight - Mohamed Alsameea

Junior Light Heavyweight - Gadzhi Gaziev

BRONZE - 

Women’s Strawweight - Fabiola Silva

Men’s Middleweight - Sultan Omarov

Men’s Super Heavyweight - Pasha Kharkhachaev

Junior Bantamweight - Murad Ibragimov

Junior Lightweight - Gimbat Magomedov