BANGKOK — Naif Al-Ghazwani became the first Saudi boxer to qualify for the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games.
Al-Ghazwani secured his place at the global event, scheduled from October 31 to November 13, after defeating Italian opponent Francesco Zonile at the U19 World Boxing Futures Cup in Thailand.
Prior to this achievement, Al-Ghazwani underwent a comprehensive training program implemented by the Saudi Boxing Federation, which included organizing several local tournaments and identifying talent through the “Kingdom Belt” championship for youth categories.
As part of the program, the athletes participated in a training camp at the Mike Tyson Club under the supervision of specialized coaches from the Saudi Boxing Federation and completed technical and physical training at a camp in Thailand.
Source: Saudi Gazette