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The Saudi Arabian Red Crescent Authority secured the World First Aid Cup in late August 2026 after excelling in a series of challenges held in partnership with the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and the DIHAD Sustainable Organisation. The Saudi team placed first in the community awareness challenge, second in innovation for first aid and resuscitation, and third in scenario-based first aid response, outperforming national societies from around the world. According to the authority, the result highlights the efficiency of national cadres and strengthens the Kingdom’s presence in international humanitarian work. The victory also expanded cooperation opportunities and knowledge exchange while supporting efforts to spread first aid culture regionally.
Separately, the Saudi national team triumphed at the Overwatch 2 World Cup held in California, defeating China 3-2 in a dramatic final after overcoming an initial 0-2 deficit, the Saudi Esports Federation reported. The squad advanced undefeated through the tournament, topping its group ahead of Japan, the United States and France before beating Spain, Finland and China in the knockout stages. Prince Faisal bin Bandar expressed pride in the achievement, noting it marked the first gold medal for Saudi e-sports at a world championship. The win aligns with national strategies to develop electronic sports and nurture a generation capable of competing at the highest levels.
Saudi students also dominated the International Nuclear Science Olympiad hosted by King Abdulaziz University in Jeddah from August 2 to 9, emerging as the top-performing nation with four medals, Arab News Japan reported. Amjad Mahmoud Issa Al-Darwish claimed overall gold and the title of Nuclear Science Ambassador while Jana Saleh Abdullah Al-Sabil took gold and was named best female student by the International Atomic Energy Agency. Abdulaziz Abdulmohsen Al-Sharait earned silver and Saleh Mubarak Dhaifallah Al-Harbi secured bronze among 120 participants from 19 countries. The Saudi Space Agency and Mawhiba had prepared the team through specialized training programs.
At the 20th International Standards Olympiad held in Siheung, South Korea from August 12 to 14, the Saudi team captured one gold medal and two silver medals, improving on its debut bronze medal from the previous year, according to the King Abdulaziz and His Companions Foundation for Giftedness and Creativity. The middle school girls team of Mayan Khan, Wajd Hasoubah and Iman Al-Zahr won gold while the middle school boys team and high school girls team each took silver among 40 participating teams from around the world. Mawhiba credited intensive preparation through partnerships with the Ministry of Education and the Saudi Standards, Metrology and Quality Organization for the strong showing. The foundation noted the results reflect ongoing progress in promoting quality and standards education among Saudi youth.
Saudi participants further collected three awards at the 18th International Olympiad on Astronomy and Astrophysics in Mumbai, India, including a silver medal for Jud Bassam Al-Luhayani and certificates of appreciation for two other students, Mawhiba stated. The Kingdom’s cumulative tally in that competition reached six awards after its second consecutive participation. Training camps and expert supervision formed the backbone of preparation for the roughly 300 students from 64 countries who competed. These scientific successes complement broader gains across 23 international olympiads where Saudi teams secured 91 prizes between April and mid-September.
The string of August accomplishments underscores coordinated efforts across government bodies to elevate performance in both athletic and intellectual competitions on the global stage. Organizers from Mawhiba to the Saudi Olympic and Paralympic Committee have emphasized sustained investment in training and infrastructure as key drivers. Such results contribute to the Kingdom’s growing reputation for excellence in diverse fields ranging from humanitarian response to emerging technologies.
