Hani Al Nakhli makes history with Saudi Arabia’s first para gold at Islamic Games 2025
Hani Al Nakhli makes history with Saudi Arabia’s first para gold at Islamic Games 2025
Nawaz Gohar from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia celebrated a landmark moment at the 6th Islamic Solidarity Games – Riyadh 2025 as national hero Hani Al Nakhli secured the country’s first para athletics gold medal on Monday, triumphing in the men’s F33/F34 discus throw at Prince Faisal bin Fahad Sports City.
Competing in front of an enthusiastic home crowd — and with his family watching proudly from the stands — the 39-year-old Paralympian delivered a commanding performance that reaffirmed his status as one of the Kingdom’s most accomplished athletes. Jordan’s Ahmad Hindi claimed silver, while Iraq’s Hussein Khafaji earned bronze.
The athletics programme continued to offer compelling action, with Uzbekistan’s Barnokhon Sayfullayeva clinching gold in the women’s high jump. Guinea’s Fatoumata Balley took silver, and Uzbekistan’s Valeriya Gorbatova secured bronze.
Türkiye also enjoyed success as Halil Yilmazer dominated the men’s hammer throw final, while Uzbekistan’s Sukhrob Khodjaev and Ayyubkhon Fayozov completed the podium. In para shot put F57, Iran’s Yasin Khosravi powered to gold, with Türkiye’s Muhammet Khalavandi and Hamid Haydari taking silver and bronze respectively.
A full slate of finals awaits tomorrow at Prince Faisal bin Fahad Sports City, with medals to be decided in discus, hammer, shot put, pole vault, high jump, and multiple track events including the 10,000m, 3,000m steeplechase, and 400m hurdles. The men’s decathlon will continue throughout the day, while semifinals in the 100m and 400m sprints promise high-intensity competition. Women’s finals in discus, javelin, hammer, and steeplechase will also headline the day’s action.
Fencing will also take centre stage on Tuesday, with men’s foil and women’s épée competitions beginning at 9:00 AM. After the pool stages and elimination rounds, both gold medal matches are scheduled for 6:30 PM, drawing significant anticipation from fans of the sport.
Camel racing makes its debut at Riyadh 2025 on Tuesday morning at Al Janadriyah with the men’s 2000m qualifying heats. The first heat begins at 7:45 AM, followed shortly by the second, marking the start of the journey toward the championship final.
In a major highlight, wrestling begins its three-day programme at Boulevard Riyadh City, featuring 202 male and female athletes from 33 nations. Competitors will battle across 18 weight categories in men’s Greco-Roman, men’s freestyle, and women’s freestyle, with preliminary rounds, repechage matches, and medal ceremonies scheduled daily.
Away from competition, the Athletes’ Village transformed into a lively cultural mosaic as athletes proudly wore their traditional attire, turning communal spaces into vibrant showcases of heritage. The colourful exchange underscored the spirit of unity and friendship that defines the Islamic Solidarity Games.
For the Al Nakhli family, who travelled from Madinah to witness Hani’s latest chapter of excellence, Monday’s victory carried deep emotional significance. A Paralympic silver medallist in London 2012, Hani remains a national symbol of resilience and pride. His family, ever-present supporters, once again celebrated his journey — this time on home soil — as he lifted Saudi Arabia to golden glory at Riyadh 2025
