Ace golfer Siddikur Rahman created history as first Bangladeshi sports personality while he has qualified for the Olympic Games to participate in the biggest sporting extravaganza scheduled to be held from August 5 to 21 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
The 31-year-old icon golfer has been placed in 56th position in the final eligibility list for the Rio 2016 Games that published on Monday night.
According to a web statement of International Golf Federation, the two-year qualification process for golf’s return to the Olympic Games for the first time in 112 years has been completed on Monday with the publication of the Final Olympic Golf Rankings.
The process began on July 14, 2014 and concluded on Sunday. The full list of qualifiers confirms the names of the 120 players — 60 male and 60 female — who are now eligible to be entered by their respective National Olympic Committees (NOCs) in accordance with the qualification criteria.
“With no fewer than 40 countries included in the Final Rankings across the men’s and women’s competitions, to be played at Reserva de Marapendi Golf Course between August 11 and 20, the composition of the Olympic fields will highlight the broad global diversity of the sport in Rio de Janeiro,” the statement further stated.
After the confirmation, the two-time Asian Tour winning golfer said, “I am honoured and happy to represent my country in the world biggest gaming event.”
The golfing icon slipped out of the list in April this year. However, he managed to make the direct entry this time after he ensured second position in the Afr-Asia Mauritius Open in May.
Siddikur turned professional in 2005 and joined the Professional Golf Tour of India in 2006. But before becoming a professional golfer, he won twelve events in Asia.
The Tiger Woods of Bangladesh also became the first Bangladeshi golfer to win an Asian Tour event at the Brunei Open in August 2010.
