• Haitham Adawi touches bronze, Talin Khader gains experience

The national judo team concluded its participation today, Thursday, in the third edition of the Asian Youth Games (Bahrain 2025) after a day full of intense competitions that witnessed remarkable performance from player Haitham Adawi, who advanced to the later stages of the tournament, while player Talin Khader gained important international experience at this major continental event

On the final day of the judo competitions, two players from the Jordanian team participated: Haitham Adawi in the under-73 kg category, and Talin Khader in the under-63 kg category

Both players showed strong determination and fierce competition against top athletes from across Asia

Adawi delivers heroic performance and reaches the podium

Haitham Adawi was the star of the day for the Jordanian participation, delivering a remarkable and consistent performance from the start of the competition. Adawi began his journey with two consecutive and convincing victories, demonstrating his competence and ability to compete at the highest level

His first win came against Syrian player Mohammad Al-Rahwan, followed by a well-deserved victory over Kuwaiti player Ali Al-Jadi

These two consecutive wins secured Adawi a place in the semifinals of the tournament, a notable achievement for the young player at such a significant event

In the semifinals, Haitham Adawi faced a tough challenge against Kazakh player Sevil Daoultekiri

Despite his efforts and determination, Adawi could not secure a victory in this match, losing the bout and moving on to compete for the bronze medal

The bronze medal match represented Adawi’s last opportunity to conclude his participation with a podium finish, facing Indian player Harshit

In a strong and intense match with fierce competition, Haitham Adawi was ultimately unlucky, losing to his Indian opponent

Despite not winning a medal, reaching the stage to compete for bronze clearly demonstrates the progress of the young Jordanian player and serves as a positive indicator for his future in judo. This experience will undoubtedly motivate him to double his efforts in upcoming tournaments

Talin Khader gains international competitive experience

In the women’s competitions, young player Talin Khader participated in the under-63 kg category

Talin faced a strong challenge from the start, losing in the round of 16 to Mongolian player Ankh-Taivan Anudari, who is one of the prominent athletes on the continent

Despite the loss, Talin Khader had the opportunity to compete in the repechage rounds and fight for the bronze medal

In the bronze medal match, Talin faced Chinese player Li Xishuan

Despite her fight, Khader could not secure a victory, losing to the Chinese player and concluding her participation without a medal.

Talin Khader’s participation in the Asian Youth Games is considered an important step in gaining international experience and exposure to strong Asian judo schools, especially as the tournament serves as a key platform to refine young players’ skills in preparation for major upcoming competitions

A look at the significance of participation

The participation of the national judo team in the Asian Youth Games comes as part of the Jordanian Judo Federation’s strategy to develop the base of young players and provide them with the opportunity to compete against the best talents in Asia

These tournaments are not just an occasion for winning medals but are a true test of players’ physical, technical, and mental preparation under the pressure of continental competitions

The performance delivered by Haitham Adawi, reaching the semifinals and then competing for bronze, confirms that Jordanian judo is moving in the right direction at the youth level

Likewise, Talin Khader’s experience in strong matches will enhance her long-term capabilities. Although no medals were won in this edition, the real gain lies in the competitive experience the players gained and the path they are shaping for the future of the sport in the Kingdom

The Jordanian Judo Federation is preparing to evaluate this participation, building on positives and addressing challenges to ensure stronger and better performance in upcoming Asian and international tournaments, combining ambition with hard work by the technical and administrative staff and the players