Fourth Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games (AIMAG) being held in Incheon, South Korea

BAHRAIN yesterday (JUNE 30) had a hear-breaking start as the billiards and bowling teams crashed out of the respective competition’s first round in the Fourth Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games (AIMAG), being held at Incheon, in South Korea.

On the first day of this eight-day Games, the nationals showed their best performance, but could do little against more experienced and influenced opponents and were unable to make progress.

The Bahrainis headed into their respective events hoping to make a solid start as they kick-started their campaigns on their third appearance in the history of the Games.

In the Nine-Ball Billiards Singles knock-out event, Bahrain’s Ali Mohammed Abbas lost his opening game to Japan’s Hiroyoki 7-9 to bow out of the competition.

Bahrain’s other representative Abdulla Isa was looking to have a better start than his compatriot, but could do little to avoid a heavy 1-6 defeat to Mongolia’s Jovcik in a one-sides game.

Elsewhere, the bowling singles event got underway with the elimination round, where the Bahrain cueists were eyeing one of the top eight positions in order to reach the second round.

Taha Ebrahim could only finish 15th with 1,278 points with 213 average. The remaining teammates also crashed out as Isa Jabbar (1,253) could finish 20th overall, Ahmed Al Qaoud (1,136) was 55th, while Masaud Akbar (987) came in 75th position.

Bahrain bowlers today will lined up in the doubles event, where they hope to make up for failing to making progress in the singles event.

The women’s division gets underway today at 3am (Bahrain time), with the singles event, where Bahrain Jumeya Al Doseri, Nahla Al Sunni, Fatma Yousuf and May Al Doseri eye a place in the second round.

Bahrain's delegation, being headed by Bahrain Olympic Committee sports Affairs executive director Noaman Al Hassan, also took part in the swimming event earlier yesterday.

Bahrain's swimmers Farhan Saleh Faraj and Sameera Al Bitar put up a good performance to improve on their personal records at the Dowon Swimming Pool.

Faraj, who competed with eight other entrants in the men’s 50m freestyle heat, was to finish second in 25.73 seconds to break his personal best record of 25.92.

However, the result was not enough for the young Bahraini swimmer to make it into the final. He also missed the opportunity to break Bahrain’s best timing, marked by his compatriot Omar Yousef (23.94 seconds).

In the women’s 50m freestyle heat, Sameera Al Bitar came sixth among eight contestants, clocking 28.83 seconds and improving on her previous personal best of 30.01, and thus failing to reach the final.

This is the first time the originally separate Indoor Sports Games and Martial Arts Games are held as one event. The Asian Indoor Games were first held in Bangkok, Thailand in 2005, then in Macau, China in 2007 and in Hanoi, Vietnam in 2009. Meanwhile, the first Asian Martial Arts Games were held in Bangkok.

The Games feature 100 events in 12 sports which are billiard, bowling, chess, baduk (go), e-sports, dance sport, futsal, indoor kabaddi, kickboxing, muay, kurash and short course swimming 25 meters.

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