JANUARY
Defending champions Qatar caused heartbreak for the hosts as they defeated Bahrain 27-22 in the final of the 17th Asian Men’s Handball Championships at Khalifa Sports City in Isa Town. Bahrain coached and managed by Spaniard Fernando Barbito were making a 14th appearance in the finals having been semi-finalists in 2014 and 2010.
FEBRUARY
Gianni Infantino the UEFA secretary general succeeded fellow Swiss Sepp Blatter as president of world football’s governing body FIFA after polling a majority 115 votes out of 207 against Bahrain’s Asian Football Confederation President, Shaikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa’s 88 in the second round of polling at the Extraordinary FIFA Congress 2016 at the Hallenstadion in Zurich, Switzerland. Representing Bahrain at the voting was the Bahrain Football Association president Shaikh Ali bin Khalifa Al Khalifa.
MARCH
Muharraq Club won HM the King’s Cup for a record 32nd time after they defeated fierce rivals Riffa Club 3-1 in the final at the National Stadium in Riffa.Abdulla Yasser opened the scoring for Muharraq after 24 minutes, only for Mahmood Al Mawas to equalise in the 37th minute for the five-time winners as they went into the half-time break at 1-1.Muharraq had earlier beaten Al Shabab, Manama Club and Al Najma on the way to the final.
APRIL
Nico Rosberg claimed his first-ever victory in the floodlit Formula 1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix at the Bahrain International Circuit (BIC) in Sakhir.
In front of a record 92,000 crowd over the three-day race weekend and 32,500 on race day, Rosberg claimed his second successive victory to start the 2016 Formula 1 season in style and fifth in all from the previous season.His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Crown Prince, Deputy Supreme Commander and First Deputy Prime Minister attended the race and presented the winning constructor’s trophy to Mercedes Engineering Director Aldo Costa.
MAY
Bahrain Triathlon Team members claimed five podium positions in the first Kuwait Triathlon Championship with the participation of 300 competitors, among them a large number of professionals.Despite the strong field, Bahrain’s triathletes were up to the challenge with Mohammad Isa, Nawaf Al Daen and Hamad Al Mansouri finishing first, second and third respectively in the Sprint Challenge which started with a 750 metre swim in the Arabian Gulf, followed by 24km cycling and a 5km run.
Compatriots Mohammed Mubarak and Omar Abdullah outraced their rivals to finish first and second respectively in the Super Sprint Challenge.
JUNE
Bahrain Royal Endurance Team rider Mansour Al Khaldi won on his horse Indio Loco LP the 120km race at the Lignieres Endurance Race in France after clocking 5 hours 45 minutes 38 seconds. More glory for Bahrain was to follow as compatriot Fahad Helal Al Khatri (5:43:29) triumphed in the youth category race on his horse Valeska De Kerpont. Both horses had undergone training under the supervision of HH Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa, representative of His Majesty the King for Charity Works and Youth Affairs, Chairman of the Supreme Council for Youth and Sports and President of Bahrain Olympic Committee.
JULY
Bahrain Endurance Elite runner Jodie Swallow ran away with a win at the Ironman 70.3 Jönköping in Sweden, proving she not only can swim and ride hard, but also has the run legs to secure the title. The Briton exited the water eighth overall, overtaking many of the pro men despite starting a minute back.
On the run Swallow, extended her winning lead to more than five minutes as Asa Lundstrom overtook Kimberley Morrison for second place.
AUGUST
Bahrain had double Olympic success when Eunice Kirwa in a time of two hours 24 minutes and 13 seconds clinched an historic silver medal for Bahrain in the Women’s Marathon at the 31st Summer Olympic Games in the Sambodromo area of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Bahrain’s 19-year old Ruth Jebet in a stunning time of eight minutes 59.75 seconds clinched a first-ever historic gold medal for the Kingdom in the final of the Women’s 3,000 Steeplechase.
SEPTEMBER
Bahrain’s national youth team defeated Japan 25-23 in the Seventh Asian Men’s Youth Handball Championship for its maiden title at Khalifa Sports City Hall in Isa Town and qualified for next year’s Handball World Cup to be hosted in Tbilisi, Georgia.
OCTOBER
Victor Jovic of Serbia clinched the Boys singles title and second seed Egyptian Hala Fouad clinched the Girls Singles title at the Eighth Bahrain International Tennis Federation (ITF) Junior Championships hosted by the Bahrain Tennis Club in (BTC) in Juffair.
NOVEMBER
Audi Sport Team Joest fulfilled a dream exit from the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC), following an outstanding one-two in the Bapco 6 Hours of Bahrain at Bahrain International Circuit (BIC).Also making his final appearance in the sport was Porsche’s Mark Webber, who also had reason to celebrate after steering his team to the last overall podium spot in third place
DECEMBER
New Zealander Terenzo Bozzone (3 hours 41 minutes 32 seconds),and Australia’s Sarah Crowley (4 hours 10 minutes 59 seconds) were the new IRONMAN 70.3 Middle East Champions after winning in cool and at times difficult windy conditions over the 113km course.
The championship featuring around 1,200 triathletes including around 60 pros, comprised a 1.9km swim around the waters of Bahrain Bay at the Four Seasons Hotel, then a 90km cycle ride to the Bahrain International Circuit (BIC) and a 21.1km run from BIC to Al Areen Wildlife Park and back to BIC to conclude the race.
