Riyadh, October 5, 2023, Saudi jiu-jitsu competitor, Abdulmalik Al Murdhi, clinched the bronze medal in the under 62 kilograms weight category on the opening day of the 19th Asian Games held in Hangzhou, China. The event saw the presence of Prince Fahd bin Jalawi bin Abdulaziz bin Musaed, the head of the Saudi mission to the games, who presented medals to the victorious athletes.
Al Murdhi's remarkable achievement marked Saudi Arabia's debut in jiu-jitsu at the Asian Games, as he secured third place by defeating Jordanian competitor Khalil Al-Arnaut through a submission victory. His journey to the bronze medal included victories over a Mongolian opponent in the round of 32 (6-0), an Iranian contender in the round of 16 (2-0), and a Philippine fighter via submission in the round of 8. However, he faced a setback in the semifinals, where he was defeated by Emirati athlete Khaled Al-Blushi (0-2).
With this latest bronze medal, Saudi Arabia's medal count at the Hangzhou 2022 Asian Games reached a total of seven, comprising three gold, two silver, and two bronze medals.
