Saudi Arabia Wins Gold Medal at Special Olympics World Games

Saudi runner Thamer Ahmed won the gold medal by coming in first place in the 800m race. SPA
Saudi runner Thamer Ahmed won the gold medal by coming in first place in the 800m race. SPA
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Saudi Arabia Wins Gold Medal at Special Olympics World Games

Saudi runner Thamer Ahmed won the gold medal by coming in first place in the 800m race. SPA
Saudi runner Thamer Ahmed won the gold medal by coming in first place in the 800m race. SPA

The Saudi Special Olympics team has won a gold medal in the athletics competitions at the 16th Special Olympics World Games Berlin 2023.

Saudi runner Thamer Ahmed won the gold medal by coming in first place in the 800m race held on the athletics track at the Olympic Village with a time of 2 minutes and 30.08 seconds.

Maltese runner Jack Gatt came in second and won the silver medal, while Spanish runner David Marti won the bronze medal by taking third place.

Thamer said the race was not easy, with competition from distinguished players in his category.

The Saudi runner also pointed out that his ambition does not stop at this medal, and he is striving to get more medals in the upcoming competitions of the World Games.

After his victory, the President of the Saudi Special Olympics Board, Dr. Maha Al-Juffali, met with the athlete and congratulated him on his outstanding performance.

Al-Juffali praised the athlete's efforts and achievement.

The Saudi volleyball team won against Tanzania and Botswana in Group B in other competitions, scoring 2-0 in each match.



Verstappen Snatches 'Insane' Pole for Japan GP in Track Record

Formula One F1 - Japanese Grand Prix - Suzuka Circuit, Suzuka, Japan - April 5, 2025 Red Bull's Max Verstappen celebrates after qualifying in pole position REUTERS/Manami Yamada
Formula One F1 - Japanese Grand Prix - Suzuka Circuit, Suzuka, Japan - April 5, 2025 Red Bull's Max Verstappen celebrates after qualifying in pole position REUTERS/Manami Yamada
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Verstappen Snatches 'Insane' Pole for Japan GP in Track Record

Formula One F1 - Japanese Grand Prix - Suzuka Circuit, Suzuka, Japan - April 5, 2025 Red Bull's Max Verstappen celebrates after qualifying in pole position REUTERS/Manami Yamada
Formula One F1 - Japanese Grand Prix - Suzuka Circuit, Suzuka, Japan - April 5, 2025 Red Bull's Max Verstappen celebrates after qualifying in pole position REUTERS/Manami Yamada

Four-time world champion Max Verstappen smashed the track record to snatch pole position for Sunday's Japanese Grand Prix ahead of McLaren's Lando Norris, as Yuki Tsunoda qualified a lowly 15th in his Red Bull debut.

Verstappen clocked a blistering lap of 1min 26.983sec in his Red Bull, 0.012sec ahead of championship leader Norris, with McLaren's Oscar Piastri third.

Verstappen set a new Suzuka track record with his final lap in Saturday's qualifying, pipping Norris right at the death.

"Each session we kept making little improvements, then the last lap was flat out," said Verstappen, who has won the Japanese GP for the last three years.

"In a Formula One car around here is insane. This is a proper highlight for us to be back on pole here."

It was Verstappen's first pole position of the season, AFP reported.

The Dutchman is still looking for his first grand prix win of the new campaign.

Ferrari's Charles Leclerc was fourth ahead of Mercedes' George Russell, with Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli sixth and RB's Isack Hadjar seventh.

Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton was eighth, followed by Williams's Alex Albon and Haas's Oliver Bearman.

Norris is looking for his second grand prix win of the season, after triumphing in the season opener in Australia.

He finished second behind Piastri in China a fortnight ago in a dominant start to the campaign for McLaren.

"I'm happy, congrats to Max, he did a good job," said Norris.

"You have to credit something when it is a lap that good that he must have done. I got everything out of the car today, the gaps are tiny.

"Good but not enough."

Tsunoda was eliminated in Q2 in a disappointing first qualifying drive for Red Bull after being promoted in place of Liam Lawson last week.

The Japanese driver finished one place behind Lawson, who returned to RB after just two races for Red Bull in a ruthless driver swap.