UAE reach best-ever medal haul

Dubai: The UAE notched their best performance ever in an international competition when they landed medals at the end of the Asian Bodybuilding Championships in Hong Kong on Sunday.

The six-member team took three gold medals, one silver and one bronze at the three-day competition at the River side Hotel Resort in Hong Kong.

"This performance is a reflection of the hard work that the athletes have put in over the past few months," UAE Body Building Association President Osama Al Shafar told Gulf News from Hong Kong.

The UAE medal haul started in the morning session when Isaq Ali posed his way to gold in the over 75kgs junior category. Ahmad Eisa Mattar was adjudged second best to take the silver in the junior under 75kgs category.

Good day's work

In the afternoon session, Ayoub Al Ammari came up with a good display, but had to stay content with the bronze medal in the 55kgs category. But the later part of the day belonged to the UAE as Asian gold medalist Mohammad Al Zahmi clinched gold in the 70kgs category and Mohammad Ali rounded off the rich tally with gold in the 90kgs category.