Jeddah: Badminton is becoming an attractive sport for many younger generations of Indian expatriates abroad. Though cricket is an unrivaled sport for Indians whether home or abroad, many young NRI students are gradually evincing interest in badminton.
When it comes to Saudi Arabia, Indian students are setting a new trend in badminton with the support of local Saudi sport authorities.
Mohammed Amer, a young Hyderabadi student at International Indian School, Riyadh represented Saudi Arabia and played on behalf of Saudi Arabia at the recently held International Junior Badminton Championship in France.
Amer was among four players who represented Saudi Arabia in the tournament known as YONEX 3 Border International U19 cup held in Saint Louis, which is located on French, German and Switzerland borders.
The Saudi team beat Switzerland however, it lost to Germany in the tournament.
14-year-old Amer who was born in Saudi Arabia has been fond of badminton since childhood, he is hailing from a unique sportive family that loves the game, where most Indians don’t know other than cricket. When Gopi Chand won the all-England badminton championship in Britain there were less cheers whereas the joy reached skies in the same week Harbajan Singh took a hat-trick and V. V. S. Laxman scored 281 in the Kolkata Test against Australia.
Like him, his sister, Maheen Asim, who completed her schooling in Riyadh is now pursuing undergraduation in Hyderabad, also lover of the sport.
The sister-brother duo participated in some regional tournaments in Qatar, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates. “Amer secured 3rd rank in CBSE National games held in Rajasthan in January”, said Asim, father, who works in Riyadh.
The news of Amer participation in an international tournament on behalf of the Saudi team is being hailed by the Indian community in Riyadh.
| Posted by Neha Khan | 
