RECORD JORDAN DELEGATION SET FOR YOUTH OLYMPICS

Just a fortnight after returning from its most successful Asian Games ever, Jordan has announced that it will be taking its biggest delegation to a Youth Olympic Games next month.

No less than 12 youngsters have qualified to the Games, which will be held in Buenos Aires, Argentina, from October 6-20.

The final athlete to be confirmed this week was swimming sensation, Mohammed Al Bedour, who has made the qualifying time for two events.

It’s a staggering mark of progress for sport in Jordan, with just two athletes qualifying to Singapore 2010 and only one to Nanjing 2014.

“It is an achievement that we can all celebrate as this has been a big collective effort,” said Nasser Majali, Secretary General of the Jordan Olympic Committee (JOC). “Our performances at the Asian Games, and now this Youth Olympics squad announcement, show that the hard work being put in by so many people is starting to pay off. It motivates us to continue to implement our ambitious strategy which includes trying to qualify the maximum number of athletes to the Olympic Games.”

Majali said the athletes provide a tremendous source of national pride and also congratulated the coaches and officials who are playing their part in developing their respective sports.

As well as five individual sports, Jordan will be sending a 3x3 Basketball team, the first time a Jordanian team has qualified to an Olympic Games.

Jordan previously won two medals in Singapore through Taekwondo fighters Dana Haidar and Yazan Al Sadeq.

Team Jordan: Mohammed Al Bedour (Swimming); Sara Al Armouti (Equestrian); Zaid Mustafa, Rama Abu Al Rub and Natalie Al Humaidi (Taekwondo); Abdullah Hammad (Karate); Samer Al Jwhar and Abdullah Al Mulaifi (Athletics); 3x3 Basketball team (four players).