Qatar’s Ali Tamer shines with Silver at Islamic Solidarity Games in Riyadh

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November 11, 2025
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11-November-2025

Qatar’s Ali Tamer shines with Silver at Islamic Solidarity Games in Riyadh

DOHA  – Team Qatar swimmer Ali Tamer secured Qatar its first medal at the ongoing Islamic Solidarity Games, currently taking place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and running until November 21.

Tamer clinched the silver medal in the men’s 100m freestyle event held at Prince Faisal bin Fahd Olympic Complex, clocking an impressive 49.63 seconds.

Saudi swimmer Zaid Al Sarraj claimed the gold medal with a time of 49.62 seconds, while his compatriot Emad Al Zabin took bronze in 50.4 seconds. Tamer had qualified for the final after recording 50.44 seconds in the preliminary heats and 50.53 seconds in the semifinals.

Meanwhile, Mohammed Mahmoud advanced to the final of the men’s 50m breaststroke, scheduled for Wednesday, after finishing his semifinal heat in 28.68 seconds. His teammate Hamza Al Shalaan narrowly missed a place in the final. Mohammed Aziz Ismail concluded his campaign in the 100m butterfly semifinals.

Marking the achievement, Mubarak Ali Al Nuaimi, President of the Qatar Swimming Association, expressed his pride in Tamer’s performance, describing it as a well-deserved result and a reflection of the team’s hard work and preparation ahead of the Games.

“We dedicate this achievement to His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and to HE Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani, President of the Qatar Olympic Committee,” Al Nuaimi said. “Ali Tamer’s silver medal, along with the strong performances from his teammates, embodies the continued progress of Qatari swimming and the tremendous support provided by the Qatar Olympic Committee to national federations.”

He added: “We are proud of our young swimmers, who have proven that investing in youth is the key to the future. We aim to keep building on this momentum in upcoming championships, especially with major regional and international events ahead. Our goal remains to win more medals and keep Qatar’s flag flying high.”

Al Nuaimi concluded by emphasizing that the result serves as a strong motivation to intensify efforts in developing training programs and supporting promising swimmers to achieve even greater success for Qatar.

Salah Al Saadi, Head of the Qatari delegation and Assistant Director of Sports Events at the Qatar Olympic Committee, also praised the achievement, noting that it highlights the success of the Committee’s strategy in nurturing young talents and developing future champions.

“Today’s result reflects a clear vision focused on empowering Qatari athletes to compete at the highest levels,” Al Saadi said. “Ali Tamer’s silver medal in the 100m freestyle is a source of pride for all of us and an inspiration for other athletes to continue working hard for Qatar.”

After the race, Ali Tamer expressed his joy and gratitude:“I’m extremely proud to win Qatar’s first medal in this edition of the Games. The race was tough, but I was highly motivated to swim for my country and raise its flag high. I dedicate this medal to the Qatar Olympic Committee, the Qatar Swimming Association, and everyone who supported us during the preparation period. I hope this silver medal marks the beginning of more achievements for my teammates.”

He added: “This result is the outcome of teamwork between swimmers and the coaching staff. I’m grateful for the opportunity to represent Qatar at such a major event, and this medal gives me even more motivation to keep training and improving my times in future competitions.”

The Qatari delegation celebrated Tamer’s success with a special ceremony held at the Qatar camp in the Athletes’ Village, attended by Mubarak Al Nuaimi, Vice Head of Delegation Khalifa Jaber Al Nuaimi, delegation members, and several Qatari athletes participating in the Games.

In other results, Mohammed Abdulwahab exited the men’s table tennis singles round of 16 after losing to Algeria’s Milane Amin Jelouli (4–1), while Abdullah Abdulwahab also bowed out following a 4–1 defeat to Algeria’s Mehdi Boulossa.

In the men’s doubles, the Qatari pair Mohammed and Abdullah Abdulwahab will face Tajikistan’s Sultanov Ibroghimovich and Jamshid Hassanov in the round of 16 on Wednesday.

In women’s karate, Qatar’s Muna Al Khurafi lost to Ivory Coast’s Abini Adiatou Adebayo in the round of 16 of the under-50kg category.

The Qatar men’s volleyball team will play a decisive match against Bahrain on Wednesday as part of the Islamic Solidarity Games in Riyadh 2025, aiming to secure a place in the bronze medal match and maintain their strong presence in the competition.

The volleyball tournament follows a single round-robin format, with the top two teams advancing to the gold medal final, and the third and fourth competing for bronze.

In weightlifting, Wisal Khalaf will compete in the women’s over-86kg category on Wednesday at Boulevard Seif Arena.

For the first time, eSports are included in the Islamic Solidarity Games, featuring over 3,000 athletes from 57 countries competing across 23 sports from November 7 to 21.

eSports competitions began Tuesday at Boulevard Riyadh City, featuring 28 players from 11 countries across Asia and Africa, including Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Jordan, Oman, Morocco, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkey, Bahrain, Tunisia, and Kazakhstan. The winners will be crowned on November 12.

Players are competing in two officially recognized titles: Rocket League (team-based, 3+1 players) and Tekken 8 (individual knockout format).

Turkey currently leads the overall medal table with 68 medals — 43 gold, 14 silver, and 11 bronze ، followed by Egypt with 27 medals (10 gold, 6 silver, 11 bronze), and Uzbekistan with 34 medals (9 gold, 16 silver, 9 bronze). Kazakhstan ranks fourth with 24 medals (7 gold, 7 silver, 10 bronze), while Nigeria sits fifth with 14 medals (6 gold, 5 silver, 3 bronze).

The sixth edition of the Islamic Solidarity Games, hosted in Riyadh, continues until November 21, featuring a rich sports program that includes athletics, fencing, 3x3 basketball, swimming, handball, table tennis, volleyball, karate, boxing, wrestling, taekwondo, judo, weightlifting, futsal, camel racing, equestrian show jumping, wushu, Muay Thai, duathlon, ju-jitsu, para-athletics, and para-weightlifting.