RIYADH, 13th November, 2025 (WAM) -- Sultan Taheri of the UAE national esports team and Omar Al Shaltooni of the national karate team added two bronze medals to the UAE's tally at the sixth Islamic Solidarity Games, held in Riyadh from 7th to 21st November. The event features 3,000 athletes from 57 nations, with the UAE participating in 14 sports.

The UAE has now secured eight medals in total, comprising one gold and seven bronze, placing 18th overall. Trkiye leads the standings with 91 medals - 51 gold, 24 silver and 16 bronze - followed by Uzbekistan with 46 medals and the Arab Republic of Egypt with 27.

Sultan Taheri earned bronze in the Tekken 8 esports competition, adding a notable achievement for the UAE in modern sports. In karate, Omar Al Shaltooni claimed bronze in the kumite 67kg category after defeating Uzbekistan's Abdullawhob Rashidov. His campaign included victories over competitors from Jordan, Morocco and Benin, before narrowly losing in the semi-final to Saudi Arabia's Mohammed Al Asiri.

In Muay Thai, three UAE athletes - Zainab Bu Hamda (55kg), Mohammed Mardhi (70kg) and Elias Habib (75-80kg) - advanced to the semi-finals, with their bouts scheduled to take place this evening at Sports Boulevard.

Three sports have so far raised the UAE flag on the podium: judo, esports and karate. Judo leads with five medals, including gold for Beshrat Khroudi in the under-52kg category and bronze medals for Mohammed Yazbek (73kg), Narmand Biyan (66kg), Omar Jad (81kg) and Dhafar Kosov (100kg). Karate added two bronzes through Rida Massoudi (84kg) and Omar Al Shaltooni (67kg), while esports contributed a bronze through Sultan Taheri.

Sultan Taheri expressed his satisfaction at reaching the podium in Riyadh, noting that the bronze medal followed a demanding series of matches against strong competitors from several nations. He said the team's ambition remains to claim first place and raise the UAE flag at major events.

Omar Al Shaltooni highlighted the strength of competition across the tournament and expressed pride in securing third place after defeating opponents from multiple regions. He thanked his teammates, coaches, the UAE Karate Federation and the national delegation for their support.

Rashid Abdulmajid Al Ali, First Vice-President of the UAE Karate Federation and Chairman of the National Teams Committee, praised the performance, noting that Al Shaltooni's achievement was the result of structured planning, effective coordination and strong teamwork within the Federation. He affirmed continued efforts to support athletes and secure more medals in upcoming competitions.