Doha: Hassan Abdullah Al Alshaikh and Bader Adullah Al Alshaikh made history yesterday (Dec 4, 2006) as they won Saudi Arabia's first ever Asian Games gold medal in bowling in the men's doubles.

The brothers posted a score of 2,821 - a new Asian Games record for a six games series - to win the gold, with hosts Qatar and the United Arab Emirates sharing the silver with totals of 2,782.

This is the first time in any bowling event in the games history that countries from West Asia have swept the podium.

Bowling is the third sport in which Saudi Arabia have won gold medals at the games - the others being athletics, at which they won seven in 2002, and shooting in the 1994 edition.

Hassan, the youngest of the brothers, was humbled by their victory.

"I can't describe my feeling, but I thank my God that I am getting this medal," he said.

"I wish to raise the flag for my country. The road to raise that flag has been very, very difficult. Now, I wish to compete at the same level in another event in this Asian Games," he said.