Historic Triple Gold for Team Qatar’s Ouisal Ikhlef at the Islamic Solidarity Games

alt
November 12, 2025
weitlifting
feed type icon
12-November-2025

Historic Triple Gold for Team Qatar’s Ouisal Ikhlef at the Islamic Solidarity Games

Riyadh - Team Qatar’s weightlifter Ouisal Ikhlef achieved a historic milestone by clinching three gold medals in the women’s +86kg category at the 6th Islamic Solidarity Games, currently taking place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, until November 21.

Ikhlef dominated the competition, winning the snatch gold with a lift of 117kg, ahead of Kazakhstan’s Lyubov Kovaltchuk, who took silver after lifting the same weight on her third attempt, while Uzbekistan’s Tursunoy Jabborova earned bronze with 116kg.

She went on to capture her second gold in the clean & jerk event, lifting 160kg, followed by Kovaltchuk (150kg) and Jabborova (137kg). Ikhlef completed her sweep with the third gold medal in the total category, achieving a combined weight of 277kg. Kovaltchuk placed second with 267kg, and Jabborova finished third with 254kg.

The medals were presented by H.E. Mohammed bin Youssef Al Mana, First Vice President of the Qatar Olympic Committee (QOC) and President of the Qatar Weightlifting Federation.

H.E. Mohammed bin Youssef Al Mana congratulated Ouisal Ikhlef for her remarkable achievement, describing it as a historic milestone for Qatari sport.

“We congratulate Ouisal Ikhlef on this historic accomplishment, which adds to Qatar’s growing list of sporting achievements. Her success is the result of continuous work, precise planning, and the strategic support of the QOC and the Weightlifting Federation,” said Al Mana.

He emphasized that Ouisal’s triple gold reflects the unlimited support Qatari sport enjoys under the leadership of H.E. Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani, President of the Qatar Olympic Committee, whose vision focuses on empowering athletes and providing them with every opportunity to succeed.

“This victory also highlights the growing role of Qatari women in sport and their ability to compete at both continental and international levels. These three medals will surely inspire all Team Qatar athletes to continue striving for excellence and to represent our nation proudly in future competitions,” he added.

Expressing her pride and joy, Ouisal Ikhlef said: “I’m proud to dedicate these three gold medals to the State of Qatar. I want to thank the Qatar Olympic Committee and the Qatar Weightlifting Federation for their constant support and confidence in me.”

She added: “The competition was very strong, but my preparation and determination to win made all the difference. I dedicate these medals to everyone who supported me and promise to continue working hard to raise Qatar’s flag high in upcoming championships.”

The Qatari delegation held a celebration for Ouisal Ikhlef at the Athletes’ Village to mark her historic triple-gold achievement. The event was attended by H.E. Mohammed bin Youssef Al Mana, Khalifa Jaber Al Nuaimi, Deputy Director of the Qatari Delegation, and several Qatari athletes participating in the Games.

Team Qatar’s volleyball team lost 3–1 to Bahrain in their final first-round match at the Islamic Solidarity Games, finishing fourth in the group standings with six points, behind Iran (13 points), Turkey (12), and Bahrain (10).

According to the competition format, the top two teams advance to the gold-medal match, while the third and fourth-placed teams play for bronze. As a result, Qatar will face Bahrain again today for third place.

Following the match, Saeed Jumaa Al-Hitmi, Board Member of the Qatar Volleyball Association, expressed confidence in the team’s ability to bounce back:

“Our team performed well for most of the match, but we were unlucky in some decisive moments. This is a young, talented squad that has proven its readiness and fighting spirit. We’ll work with the technical staff to fix our mistakes and prepare strongly for the bronze-medal match.”
He added: “We have full confidence in our players to achieve a positive result and conclude the tournament in a manner that reflects the strength of Qatari volleyball.”