Minister of Youth, Sports and Community Empowerment Ahmed Mahloof has stated 2019 was a highly successful year in sports for Maldives. The minister made the statement in the special function held to welcome the Maldivian athletes who won medals in the 13th South Asian Games (SAG) in Nepal.
Minister Mahloof noted Maldivian athletes won 5 medals in SAG 2019, having won a combined total of 4 medals across all previous editions of SAG. He specifically noted the achievement of sprinter Hassan Saaid, whose gold medal in the 100 metre running event was the first gold medal won by Maldives in the history of SAG.
Mahloof said the remarkable achievement of Maldivian athletes in SAG as well as the Indian Ocean Island Games (IOIG) in July have made 2019 a memorable year for Maldivian sports. The minister said the achievement was down to the hard work and commitment put in by athletes, coaches and sports associations. He expressed hope that the achievements of this year will be used as a springboard for further success in future events.