Kuwaiti swimmers, divers win 26 medals in Arab Aquatics Championships

Kuwaiti swimmers and divers have made splash at the just-concluded Arab Aquatics Championships for boys and girls, winning 26 diverse medals and setting new records, the Kuwait Aquatics Federation announced Saturday. "This is a great achievement for Kuwaiti swimmers and divers," Faisal Abulhassan, Kuwait Aquatics board member and head of the Kuwaiti delegation to the Arab event which concluded in Cairo on Friday, told KUNA upon their return today. He pointed out that the Kuwaiti swimmers won 20 medals: three gold, five silver and 12 bronze medals, while divers won six bronze medals. In addition, Kuwaiti swimmer Mohammad Al-Zubaid won three gold medals and set three new Arab records in the championships. He welcomed the Kuwaiti victories in diving competitions, describing them as an important development for the sport in Kuwait. Abulhassan praised the great performance of the swimmers and divers and their eagerness to represent their country in the best possible way. "This remarkable success at the Arab championships will be a strong incentive for Kuwaiti athletes to achieve more in the upcoming championships," he added. Speaking to KUNA, Kuwaiti champion Al-Zubaid expressed his pride at achieving five medals in the Arab Aquatics Championships in the 15-16 age group, including three gold medals: in 100m freestyle, 50m butterfly and 50m backstroke. He also pointed out that he has broken the previous records in the three events and won an additional a silver and a bronze medal with the Kuwaiti team in the teams relay events. Al-Zubaid said that the championship was an opportunity for him and his colleagues to gain experience by competing with their Arab peers, expecting that this participation would have positive impact on their future performances. Source: Kuwait News Agency