Türkiye tightened its grip on the medal table at the 6th Islamic Solidarity Games on Monday, closing the 10th day of competition in Riyadh with another commanding return of 10 medals and pushing its overall tally to an imposing 122.
The latest haul – three gold, four silver and three bronze – further widened the gulf between the crescent-and-star delegation and every other nation at the event.
The Games, officially known as Riyadh 2025, began on Nov. 7 and run through Nov. 21, bringing together more than 3,500 athletes from 57 member states of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation.
Competitors are spread across 21 sports and two para-sports, including athletics, swimming, judo, weightlifting, taekwondo, karate, wrestling, wushu and fencing.
The 2025 edition marks a symbolic return to Saudi Arabia, which staged the inaugural Islamic Solidarity Games in 2005.
Across 10 days, Türkiye has imposed its authority in nearly every arena. Its swimmers delivered a blistering start by securing 27 gold medals in pool events, while the judo team dominated its discipline with six golds.
Taekwondo, wushu and weightlifting added steady success as Türkiye’s depth and consistency made it the runaway leader in Riyadh.
By the end of Day 10, Türkiye stood atop the rankings with 61 gold, 35 silver and 26 bronze medals.
Uzbekistan followed with 21 gold, 24 silver and 20 bronze for a total of 65, while Iran trailed close behind with 17 gold, 15 silver and 22 bronze, totaling 54.
Egypt and Kazakhstan rounded out the top challengers, though both remained well behind Türkiye’s overwhelming pace.
Türkiye’s margin in gold medals alone is nearly triple that of Uzbekistan, underscoring the extent of its control over the competition.
The Games are staged under the slogan “One Nation,” with a mascot named Finjaal – a traditional coffee pot symbolizing hospitality – welcoming crowds across Riyadh’s modern venues, including the Prince Faisal bin Fahd Olympic Complex and Boulevard Riyadh City.
Host Saudi Arabia has shown strong flashes in taekwondo and select individual events, while countries such as Morocco, Indonesia and Azerbaijan have stood out in specific disciplines.
With several days of competition still ahead – including the marquee athletics events beginning around Nov. 17 – Türkiye is positioned not only to defend but to further extend its dominant lead.
The nation, which staged the previous edition in Konya in 2022, continues to set the benchmark at one of the Muslim world’s most significant multi-sport gatherings.
