Some of the medalists from the Maldives athletics team that competed in the 2019 South Asian Games, returned home on Tuesday, including the current fastest man in South Asia.

While Hassan Saaidh and the table tennis teams returned on Tuesday, they were given a warm welcome including by President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih and Vice President Faisal Naseem.

Defence Minister Mariya Didi and Chief of Defence Force Major General Abdulla Shamaal welcomed gold medal winner Saaid at Velana International Airport; Saaid is an officer of the army.

Saaid returned home with two medals, gold and bronze. He won the gold, the country’s first in the South Asian Games, in the 100-meter race while he won third place in the 200 meter one.

In addition to Saaid, the athletes from the table tennis team returned on Tuesday as well. The women’s team also secured a bronze medal at the games.

President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih met with the athletes, following their return, along with Vice President Faisal Naseem.

At the meeting held at the President’s Office, the president assured his administration’s commitment to all sports and not just “popular sports.”

President Solih noted “with pride” that this is the first time in this country's sporting history that a Maldivian athlete achieved a gold medal at the South Asian Games, and stressed that this is “proof” that it is not necessary for the teams “to belong to a large country” in order to do well in such international sports arenas.

He added that it requires “careful planning and reliable facilities.”

The president also acknowledged the positive increase of women's involvement in sports activities, and assured that the government “will not tolerate any kind of gender bias or discrimination, and all athletes will have equal opportunities based on performance and merit.” While he made the statement, the women's basketball team also won third place at the South Asian Games on Tuesday.

He added that the current administration affords high precedence to improving the sports sector due to the high societal benefits.

The athletics and table tennis teams are the first to return to the country after the South Asian Games.