BANGKOK: With his determination, young Saudi rower Husein Alireza made the country proud by scooping up the bronze medal at the Asian Indoor Rowing Championship 2019 that concluded in Bangkok (Thailand) recently. The annual competition was organized by the Asian Rowing Federation testing strength and endurance of rowers on machines. Husein Alireza who clinched the third place at the Asian Indoor Rowing championship was representing Saudi Arabia for the second time after achieving the ninth place in the Asian Games last August in Indonesia. Alireza’s bronze medal is the first international medal Saudi Arabia wins in a rowing competition. It also reflects the great strides he has made in the sport since taking it up during his college years in the United Kingdom. The Saudi Rowing Federation was established only this year and participated in the competition, led by the Federation’s president Mohammed Hadhrawi. Husein Alireza’s success is also a reflection of the quick achievement of the Saudi Rowing Federation since its establishment only a few months ago. Bill Barry, coach of Saudi Arabia rowing team, said: “This is a fantastic achievement for Husein Alireza who is a great athlete. To win a bronze medal at the Asian Rowing Championship is a huge step in his sporting career which keeps going from strength to strength. “Alireza consistently performs well at international competitions and his success at this level shows that his positive approach towards training and preparation is paying off.” Celebrating success after clinching a bronze medal, Husein Alireza said: “It is an honor to win for my country and I am so proud to win bronze and want to thank my coach and the Saudi Arabia rowing Federation for their support.”