Bahrain’s amateur Mixed Martial Arts team made another outstanding impact at the First African Open Amateur Mixed Martial Arts Championship, which concluded in Johannesburg in South Africa recently.

 
The team clinched six medals in total, including four gold and two silver, in the first edition of this event, organised by the International Federation of Mixed Martial Arts.
 
Coached by Renat Abu Ahmad, the Bahraini squad comprised Abbas Khan, Hamad Mattar, Hamza Zrira, Hussain Abdulla, Maher Hamed and Nayef Fikri, who competed in weight divisions between 56kg and 77kg.
 
The delegation was received on return by Supreme Council for Youth and Sports assistant general secretary and Bahrain Olympic Committee general secretary Abdulrahman Askar, Bahrain Mixed Martial Arts Federation president Khalid Al Khayyat as well as other top sports officials.
 
Askar congratulated the team on this achievement, which he attributed to the continued support fromBahrain’s sport authorities, led by Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Representative of His Majesty the King for Charity Works and Youth Affairs, Chairman of the Supreme Council for Youth and Sports, and BOC President.
 
Askar also noted the significant efforts and contributions of Supreme Council first vice -president and BMMF honorary president Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa towards mixed martial arts, which achieved major successes in recent competitions.
 
This was the team’s third event this year after previously taking part at the European Open Amateur Championship in Sofia.
 
Other teams in the fray were hosts South Africa, Russia, India, Congo and Ghana, where these teams were represented by 35 fighters in five weights categories for women and nine for men.

source:bna