Bahrain Clinches AWST Athletics Title Winning 11 Medals

Bahrain’s Busaiteen Club were crowned with the title of athletics in the final games that were held on the seventh day of the fourth Arab Women Sports Tournament 2018 (AWST), which concludes today (Monday) after 11 days of thrilling competitions that have witnessed a high level of professionalism and true sporting spirit.

Top players from clubs in 11 Arab countries competed in the athletics final that took place at the track of Al Thiqa Club for the Handicapped, as part of AWST 2018 being held under the patronage of Sheikha Jawaher bint Mohammed Al Qasimi, Wife of His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah, Chairperson of the Supreme Council for Family Affairs (SCFA) and Chairperson of Sharjah Women Sports Foundation (SWSF).

Bahrain emerged tournament champions in the category with 11 medals; six gold, one silver and four bronze, while Algeria’s National Security Sports Association came second with a tally of 10 medals, including four gold and six silver. Oman’s Al Khabour Club secured the third place with a tally of five medals, one gold, two silver and two bronze.

Egypt’s Port Fuad club claimed one gold and two silver, while Sharjah Women’s Sports Club secured one gold and two bronze, followed by Kuwait’s Al Fatat Club who won one silver and four bronze.

Friday’s athletics competitions included 100m, tyre push and 4X400m relay.  In the 100 metres, Jawaher Farid Abdullah from Sharjah Club secured the gold medal with a time of 14.59 seconds, while her peer, Muhra Abdul Rahim, took silver with a time of 14.65 seconds, and Kuwaiti Rahaf Hussein bagged bronze finishing at 15.57 seconds.

In the tyre push contest, Bahrain’s Noor Jassim secured gold with a distance of 15.06 metres, while Algerian Nabila Buban claimed silver finishing at a 10.44-metre distance, and finally Marwa from Sharjah Women’s Sports Club finished third at a distance of 8.22 metres, winning the bronze medal. Sharjah Women’s Sports Club won gold medal with a time of 4.37.71 minutes, in 4X400m relay. 

The winners were felicitated with medals and trophies by Sheikha Hayat Bint Abdul Aziz Al Khalifa, Head of AWST’s Follow-up and Supervisory Committee and member of Bahraini Olympic Committee; and HE Dr. Tariq Bin Khadem, Chairman of Al Thiqa Club for the Handicapped. Heads of delegations participating in the tournament and a number of senior sports officials were also present.

Sheikha Hayat Bint Abdul Aziz Al Khalifa: Achievements by Arab players are source of happiness and pride

Sheikha Hayat said: “The great achievements that we have seen at the tournament are a source of happiness and pride for us. The impressive results and diversity in the participating teams are testament to the development seen by the Arab women's sports, reflected by the presence of a large number of Arab female champions who proved their tenacity and competence in achieving the highest scores and titles.”

She underlined the key goal of AWST, saying it is to advance the role of Arab women’s sports clubs in discovering talented athletes and encouraging them to join national women’s teams and participate in AWST, which acts as a springboard for them into regional and international tournaments.

Sheikha Hayat called on Arab sports clubs and sports associations to organise annual local women’s sports tournaments in their respective countries involving all age groups, due to their great benefit for women’s sports in general, and eventually for the national teams that will be able to select outstanding players to compete internationally.

Bin Khadem: We are collaborating with AWST’s Supreme Organising Committee to promote athletics among women with special abilities

Dr. Tariq Bin Khadem, Chairman of Al Thiqah Club for the Handicapped, said: “Organising AWST in the UAE is a great honour for us. It is an Arab sporting extravaganza that brings together an impressive galaxy of Arab sportswomen.”

He pointed out that the Al Thiqah Club’s facilities were put under the command of AWST’s Supreme Organising Committee to ensure the tournament’s success and achieving the best results.

“The tournament would not have been possible without the unfailing support of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, and his Wife, Her Highness Sheikha Jawaher Al Qasimi,” Bin Khadem added.

He emphasised that the tournament has become a prominent women’s sporting event in the Arab world due to its importance in unveiling athletic talents of Arab women. He also noted that Al Thiqah Club is collaborating with SWSF and AWST’s organising committee to include competition categories for women with special abilities in AWST’s upcoming editions to encourage them to participate.

He thanked SWSF for the great planning and execution of the tournament, something that has made the Emiratis feel proud of AWST in terms of its technical and organisational aspects, and also contributed to raising the profile of women’s sports in the UAE and Arab world.