MMA – BAHRAIN bagged their first two medals yesterday of the 20th Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan in the popular combat sport of mixed martial arts (MMA).
Diana Pogosian and Mukhammad Nabiev both came away as silver-medallists following exciting final bouts in their respective competition categories at Nagoya City Inae Sports Centre.
Pogosian finished as runner-up in the women’s modern MMA under-54kg division while Nabiev claimed his silver in the men’s traditional MMA under-77kg class.
The Bahrainis’ title-deciders were part of yesterday’s concluding day of action in MMA at this year’s Asiad. MMA made its debut in the quadrennial Olympic Council of Asia spectacle in Aichi-Nagoya, and both Pogosian and Nabiev are part of the historic list of first-ever Asian Games medallists in the sport.
In attendance during their finals yesterday were Bahrain Olympic Committee (BOC) sports project management director Lounes Madene, BOC secretary general office’s director Shoof Almalood, BOC Arab and international relations head Maryam Mardana, and other delegation officials.
Pogosian was first between the two Bahrainis to hit the mat yesterday. She took on Kanjutha Phattaraboonsorn of Thailand in a hotly contested final, which saw both fighters battle hard and land numerous punches and kicks until the very end of the two three-minute rounds.
Phattaraboonsorn was eventually declared the winner by unanimous decision.
Joining them on the women’s modern MMA under-54kg podium were joint-bronze-medallists Bomi Lee from South Korea and Vallensia Fahira Hotmauli from Indonesia, who were their category’s losing semi-finalists.
On the distaff, Nabiev, whose final yesterday directly followed Pogosian’s, faced a tough challenge against highly touted opponent Yerkingali Burkutalin of Kazakhstan.
Nabiev tried valiantly to play to his wrestling strengths but Burkutalin did enough to thwart his rival’s strategy en route to a unanimous decision win to capture gold.
Taking a share of the men’s traditional MMA under-77kg bronze medals were Carlos Alvarez from the Philippines and Syimyk Zhanybek Uulu from Kyrgyzstan.
Nabiev’s silver made it two podium appearances for Bahrain’s delegation for the day.
The medals placed the kingdom’s delegation in 19th overall on the medal standings. They are presently the third-best Arab nation on the table, behind Jordan who are tied-14th with three medals including one gold, one silver, and one bronze; and Kuwait, who are just one place higher than Bahrain in 18th, also with three medals, including one gold and two bronze.
patrick@gdnmedia.bh