Dunya Abutaleb shines as Saudi Arabia strikes gold on final day of taekwondo at Islamic Games 2025
Dunya Abutaleb shines as Saudi Arabia strikes gold on final day of taekwondo at Islamic Games 2025
Nawaz Gohar from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia’s Dunya Abutaleb emerged as one of the standout performers at the 6th Islamic Solidarity Games – Riyadh 2025, clinching a memorable gold medal on the final day of taekwondo competition at Prince Faisal bin Fahd Sports City.
His Highness Prince Fahad bin Jalawi, Chairman of the Supreme Organising Committee, personally presented the medals, underscoring the importance of the achievement for the host nation.
Abutaleb delivered a commanding performance in the women’s under-51kg event, overcoming Türkiye’s Elif Sude Akgul in an intense final. The bronze medals were shared by Morocco’s Oumaima Bouchti and Iran’s Rozhan Goudarzi. In the men’s under-60kg category,
Iran’s Ali Moradian secured gold after defeating Afghanistan’s Mohsen Rezaee, while Egypt’s Mohamed Selim and Azerbaijan’s Gashim Magomedov finished with bronze. Morocco’s Haitam Zarhouti added another highlight to the evening, capturing gold in the men’s under-82kg category by beating Iran’s Amirreza Sadeghian.
In the women’s under-70kg final, Uzbekistan’s Ozoda Sobirjonova took top honours ahead of Iran’s Yalda Valinejad, with Türkiye’s Sila Gencer and Nigeria’s Elizabeth Anyanacho securing bronze.
Wushu competitions also concluded on Sunday at Boulevard Riyadh City, with IR Iran asserting dominance by claiming four gold medals to top the medal table. Amirhossein Hemati set the tone, winning gold in the men’s under-60kg category, followed by Erfan Piraghom’s triumph in the under-70kg division.
Egypt’s Alhussein Wahdan secured the men’s under-85kg gold, but IR Iran continued their strong showing through Sara S. Ganje in the women’s under-56kg category and Soheila M. Semiromi in the women’s under-60kg. Egypt’s Mennatallah Aly sealed gold in the women’s under-70kg, rounding off a competitive day across all weight classes.
Handball action remained intense as four men’s group-stage matches were decided. Qatar eased past UAE 41–24, IR Iran overpowered Maldives 57–14, Kuwait outplayed Iraq 33–23, while hosts Saudi Arabia delivered a spirited 27–21 victory over Bahrain. Women’s handball competition is set to resume on Monday with three key fixtures: IR Iran vs Maldives, Türkiye vs Guinea, and Kazakhstan vs Azerbaijan.
Beyond the sporting arenas, the Athletes’ Village continued to pulsate with life, offering competitors a unique blend of relaxation, cultural exchange, and entertainment. Village Plaza has become a central meeting point, where athletes gather at cafés, enjoy music and performances, explore boutique pop-ups, and engage in cross-cultural interactions that embody the spirit of the games.
Spectators at Boulevard Riyadh City were also treated to an enhanced viewing experience thanks to an 8×7.5-metre high-definition giant screen installed at the athletics jumping venue. The display, powered by state-of-the-art broadcast technology, showcased live action, slow-motion replays, and close-up angles, ensuring fans remained fully immersed in every moment of the competition.
