Category: Sports

The 26th Arabian Gulf Cup which goes by the awkward name Khaleeji Zain 26 is taking place in Kuwait in 10 days time. Tickets for the games went on sale a few days ago and start from 2KD and go up to 30KD.

If you want to buy tickets they can only be purchased through the Khaleeji Zain official website and app called Hayakom. Hayakom provides live news, real-time match updates, team details, stadium guides, touristic attractions amongst other things.

If you want to get tickets or check out the website, head over to hayakom.pas.gov.kw

The Kuwait Motor Town racetrack is now open again to cyclists every Monday and Tuesday, and it’s free.

The track is 5.6KM long but has 3 different configurations, each a different length so you can pick and choose which part of the track you want to ride on. The track isn’t flat but has elevations which makes for a more fun ride.

There are a number of advantages to cycling at the racetrack over lets say the Gulf Road bike path. For one, you won’t have to dodge stray cats or pedestrians, it’s also a lot more chill of an experience because it’s empty and very quiet. There usually aren’t that many riders at the track and even if there are, there is plenty of room for everyone. You could have your headphones on playing music and not have to worry about another cyclist coming up behind you because the track is so wide making it very easy to overtake.

The track is beautiful at sunset, but even after the sun goes down, you can keep riding under the track lights.

If you want to try riding at the track, they open to the public from 4PM to 8PM on Mondays and Tuesdays. It’s free and doesn’t even require registration, just get to the track, park your car and then ride into the racetrack. There is a security guard there with a sign in sheet, just put your name and number and continue onto the track. The only requirement is a helmet. Also note, you can’t bring rollerblades, scooters or skateboards onto the track, but if you want to walk, jog, or run around the track you can. They also don’t rent bikes at the track, it’s BYOB.

If you don’t know where the track is, here is the location on Google Maps. To stay posted on KMT activities and events, head over to @kmtkw

A couple of weeks ago I posted how there were going to be no track days at Kuwait Motor Town this season because the contract with the company running the place had expired and wasn’t renewed. Well it’s been renewed now so track days are back again and the racetrack will be open this season. @kmtkw

I just got an email letting me know that Alive Yoga is reopening again. Alive Yoga used to be my favorite yoga spot before they closed down a few years ago so pretty excited that they’re reopening again.

According to the email initially it will be invite only and then later opened to the public. I think the invitation for now is for previous members hence why I got invited.

The opening date is December 15th. Their instagram isn’t updated but if you want to check it out it’s @aliveyoga

Camel Racing is back for the 2024/2025 season, running from October to March, with races every Saturday at the Kuwait Camel Racing Club. The races start at different times each week but this Saturday they’ll kick off at 1:00 PM with a total of eight races.

There is no entrance fee and you can either watch the races from the sidelines, drive up to the starting lines and watch the start of the race, or just drive around the track in your car following the race (it can get chaotic).

It’s really fun, especially if you’ve never been before and it’s never that busy and everyone is pretty friendly. I tend to drop by anytime I feel like having a photoshoot for one of my cars, or if I just feel like driving somewhere far.

Here is the link to the location and entrance on Google Maps.

Baseball has been played in Kuwait since the late ’70s, yet not many people know about it. It feels like one of Kuwait’s best-kept secrets.

I love catching a Friday game when the weather’s perfect. The baseball fields are green and really lush, so it always feels like you’re in the heart of the US with kids in baseball gear roaming around, while spectators enjoy lemonade and corndogs.

Since the weather is getting better, registration for the 2024/25 season is now open. If you’re looking for an activity for your kid, or maybe you’re an adult looking to play baseball for fun and socializing, here are the details:

Registration is open till October 16 and there are three divisions:

Youth Baseball (Coed) – Ages 4+
Registration fee is 100KD for the season

Girls “Fast Pitch” Softball – Ages 14+
Registration fee is 100KD for the season

Adult Softball (Coed) – Ages 13+
Registration fee is 50KD for the season

The fees cover the cost of field staff, field maintenance, and baseball equipment (bats, balls, and tees). All you need to bring is your own glove.

Practice is twice a week, one day in the middle of the week and Friday. Once the games start, Friday becomes game day.

Baseball season runs from October 20 to February 23, while the adult baseball season runs from October 4 to April 25. The baseball fields are located at The Hunting & Equestrian Club right off the 6th Ring Road, near Murouj.

If you’re interested in signing up you can WhatsApp them on 97883026. Their instagram account is @q8baseball

Last night Kuwaiti athlete Faisal Sorour (@f9olsroor8) won the Gold medal for Kuwait in the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games. Faisal came first in the Men’s Shot Put – F63 event by scoring 15.31m. This is Faisal’s second medal at the Paralympic Games, he previously secured a bronze medal at the Tokyo 2020 Games.

The F63 category is for athletes with a moderate impairment in one leg or the absence of legs above the knee.

Kuwait’s medal tally is now two after the bronze medal secured by Faisal Al-Rajehi last week in the men’s 5000m race. You can follow the Kuwait Paralympic Committee @kuwaitparalympic

The Paris 2024 Paralympics started a few days ago and yesterday, Kuwaiti wheelchair racer Faisal Al-Rajhi (@faisal.alrajhi98) won a bronze medal in the T54 5,000m race. The T54 category is for wheelchair athletes with no leg function, but near full arm function.

Faisal is one of three Kuwaiti athletes taking part at the Paralympics with the other two being:

Dhari Buti – Men’s Shot Put – F37
Faisal Sorour – Men’s Shot Put – F42

The F37 category is for athletes competing with co-ordination impairments (hypertonia, ataxia and athetosis).

The F42 category is for athletes competing without prosthesis affected by limb deficiency, leg length difference, impaired muscle power or impaired passive range of movement.

The Paris 2024 Paralympics is taking place from 28 August to 8 September 2024 and the official account of the Kuwait Paralympic Commitee is @kuwaitparalympic

I previously posted about the club back in 2011, but I’m reposting it again today with more information because today is the first day of their pre-season training.

The Kuwait Scorpions Rugby Football Club is the oldest sports club in Kuwait, and very possibly the oldest in the region.

The club was originally formed by expatriates from the Kuwait Oil Company, who began training together as a hobby. In 1946, the team formally became the Kuwait Scorpions Rugby Football Club when they played the British Army in the region’s first recorded rugby fixture. In the 70s, as rugby community clubs started forming around the region, the Scorpions began traveling and competing in neighboring countries. Rugby in Kuwait continued this way until the 1990 invasion when the team was dispersed.

Following the invasion, the rugby club gradually reformed as its members returned to Kuwait. They were renamed the Kuwait Nomads, a name inspired by the way they reunited. The team played as the Nomads until the 2000s, when they reverted to their original name and relaunched the club as the Kuwait Scorpions.

The Scorpions are still very active, and in fact, their pre-season training starts today. If you’re interested in having fun and getting fit, bring plenty of water and a good attitude, and head to KOC Ahmadi Park. They train every Monday and Wednesday from 7 to 9 PM. For directions and more info, check out their Instagram @q8scorpions

If you’re surprised to learn that Kuwait has a surfing team, you’re not alone. Earlier this year, Kuwait became one of the newest members of the International Surfing Association (ISA), and in around a weeks time, the team will be competing at the Asian Surfing Championships held in the Maldives.

The Kuwait team consists of three surfers:

Essa Kamal AlEssa @eksultan
Age: 27

Ahmad Hashim AlRefae @a.alrefae2
Age: 29

Yousef Riyadh Tarazi @yousef.tarazi
Age: 28

All three surfers grew up in Kuwait, spending most of their time by the water in Bnaider, engaging in various watersports. Although they began surfing during their teenage years, they gained most of their experience after moving to California for university. Immersed in the surfing culture there, they took up the sport religiously, making it an integral part of their daily lives. After graduating and returning to Kuwait, they made it a priority to travel and ride different waves around the world.

The Asian Surfing Championship will take place from August 17 to 24, and it will be the first surfing event that Kuwait will be participating in. The championship is organized by the Asian Surf Federation and co-organized by the Maldivian Surfing Association. This event also marks the first time that Kuwait has been recognized as a country with surfers by both the International Surfing Association (ISA) and the Asian Surfing Federation (ASF).

Why Kuwait? Why Now?

In 2015, surfing became an Olympic sport which is what motivated them to start the Kuwait Surf Committee and register with the ISA.

After surfing became an Olympic sport, the ISA revised its rules and policies to accept membership from countries not traditionally considered ‘surfing nations’ by including other types of surfing watersports. Stand Up Paddle Boarding, Wind Surfing, Wake Surfing, and Wind Foiling are all sports recognized by the ISA and are popular in Kuwait, which led to Kuwait being accepted as a surfing nation by the association.

If you want to stay posted on the Kuwait Surf team’s progress at the Asian Surf Championship, follow their instagram account @kuwaitsurfcommittee

When my friend and I used to play tennis, we had trouble finding courts that were available without requiring a membership. When we did find courts, they were all outdoors, making it difficult to play during the hot summer months. It’s been years since we last played, but after seeing photos of the new tennis court at The Space Arena, we might have to dig out our old rackets again.

The Space Arena in Shuwaikh recently converted an abandoned laundromat into a stunning tennis court. It might also be the only indoor tennis court in Kuwait that you can book without needing a club membership. The court features air conditioning, guest seating, high ceilings, and access to changing rooms, washrooms, and showers for both men and women.

It costs 25KD to book the court for an hour, so 12.5KD per person, or 6.25KD if you’re playing doubles. You can book through the Padel Mates app or by contacting them on 96760802. The Space Arena is located behind Shuwaikh Market and is open from 9AM to midnight. @thespacearena

The Paris 2024 Olympics is set to begin this coming Friday, and nine athletes from Kuwait will be competing: five men and four women. Check them all out below to discover who they are and the disciplines they will be competing in. I’ve also included their instagram accounts in case you want to follow them:

Amal Al Roumi @_amalalroumi
Date of Birth: 22 Aug 1992
Age: 31
Discipline: Athletics
Event: Women’s 800m

Ameena Shah @ameenaaa64
Date of Birth: 24 Jan 2001
Age: 23
Discipline: Sailing
Event: Women’s Dinghy

Lara Dashti @laradashtiswims
Date of Birth: 24 Jan 2004
Age: 20
Discipline: Swimming
Event: Women’s 100m Breaststroke

Soaad Alfaqaan @salfaqaan2
Date of Birth: 3 Sep 1991
Age: 32
Discipline: Rowing
Event: Women’s Single Sculls

Khaled Almudhaf
Date of Birth: 12 Jun 1978
Age: 46
Discipline: Shooting
Event: Trap Men

Mohammad AlDaihani @_mh7md
Date of Birth: 1 Aug 1983
Age: 40
Discipline: Shooting
Event: Skeet Men

Mohamad Zubaid @mohammedswims
Date of Birth: 30 Mar 2008
Age: 16
Discipline: Swimming
Event: Men’s 100m Freestyle

Yousef Alshamlan @yousefalshamlaan
Date of Birth: 30 Aug 1998
Age: 25
Discipline: Fencing
Event: Men’s Sabre Individual

Yaqoub Alyouha @yaqoubalyouha
Date of Birth: 31 Jan 1993
Age: 31
Discipline: Athletics
Event: Men’s 110m Hurdles

Photo on top taken by @photographerq8_96

I hadn’t heard of “F1 in Schools” before so was confused when I found out they were opening in The Avenues. I thought it might be a racing school but it turned out to be engineering related. This is how it’s described on Wikipedia:

F1 in Schools is an international STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) competition for school children (aged 11–19), in which groups of 3–6 students have to design and manufacture a miniature car out of the official F1 Model Block using CAD/CAM design tools. The cars are powered by CO2 cartridges and are attached to a track by a nylon wire. They are timed from the moment they are launched to when they pass the finish line by a computer.

While researching I found out that in Kuwait, BSK were already involved with F1 in Schools (Check the post above). With The Avenues location opening the program will become accessible to more children. The Avenues location will be managed by the non-profit organization Sabah Al-Ahmad Center for Giftedness and Creativity and KFAS.

I’ve reached out to find out more about this and when they’re planning to open, but for now you can check f1inschools.com for more information or watch the video above to watch the 2023 world finals

Last week Kuwait came second in the IIHF World Championship Division IV, but a couple of days ago the Kuwait under 18 team lost 57-0 to Thailand in the opening game of the U-18 Asian and Oceania Championship. source

57 to 0!

It’s now considered to be the 5th worst beatdown in international hockey history. Kuwait only managed 1 shot at Thailands goal while Thailand had 122 shots on Kuwait.

Keep in mind hockey is composed of 3 periods of 20mins each, so Thailand basically scored 1 goal a minute. Pretty crazy but the good news is, it’s not the worst beatdown ever. The worst beatdown ever goes to the South Korea vs Thailand match from 1998 where South Korea beat Thailand 92-0. 57-0 would put the Kuwait game 5th on the list.

Kuwait’s goalie actually managed to make 65 saves, so the blame can’t all go to him. This was also Kuwait’s debut at the tournament.

The tournament is taking place in Uzbekistan, with nine teams – Thailand, Kuwait, India, Indonesia, Iran, Macau, Malaysia, Mongolia and the United Arab Emirates. You can watch the full game above.

Update: In their second game, Kuwait were losing 17-0 against Uzbekistan in the first period when they decided to forfeit the game.

This past Friday was the opening of the Ascend Rock Climbing Center in Hawally. Ascend initially started off as a small local community for climbing enthusiasts in Kuwait by a climbing enthuisiast, @ali.ascends.

I’ve been posting about Ali (and Ascend) for nearly 10 years now. I first found out about him in 2014 after he moved back to Kuwait from university and started recording videos of himself climbing random rock walls in Mutlaa. His aim from the very beginning was to build a climbing community in Kuwait and so he started the group “Kuwait Climbing” (later became Ascend).

The group used to meetup in Mutlaa as well as whatever climbing walls were available in Kuwait at that time. Ali eventually built a small climbing wall outside his family home which became popular, and later expanded it to meet the demand. Now I imagine the community is going to grow even larger with this new climbing center which he was able to open with the help of his partner Hanan, and the help of the climbing community.

The Ascend Rock Climbing Center located inside Emall in Hawally, across the street from Andalus Complex. The climbing center boasts the tallest climbing wall in Kuwait at 14.5m tall. I passed by yesterday for the opening and it was pretty busy with a lot of climbers from the region who had come to Kuwait to check out the center. There were even climbers who flew in from Europe, that should give you an idea of how much Ali is loved by the climbing community.

If you’re interested in getting into the sport of climbing, the center is open daily from 11AM to 11PM. The first hour of climbing costs 5KD and its then 2.5KD for every additional hour. There are also day passes as well as monthly memberships. For more information, check out @ascend.kw