SHARJAH: Saudi Arabia’s equestrian team claimed a silver medal on Wednesday at the Arab Women Sports Tournament (AWST) being held in Sharjah, UAE, as the home favorite Emirati team claimed the gold.
The were also individual medals for Saudis Princess Jawaher bin Abdulaziz (bronze) and Fonoun Alhumaydan (silver) — the latter was also a member of the silver medal-winning team.
The team's success was congratulated by Saudi Arabia's ambassador to the US Princess Reema Bandar Al-Saud.
The equestrian team, led by Princess Anoud Bint Abdullah and coached by Badr Alfayez, are part of a delegation of 70 Saudi athletes from 12 clubs and teams competing across eight different sporting events at the AWST, the second largest delegation at the event and the largest ever participation abroad by Saudi female clubs.
This year’s event marks the fifth edition and has seen a record 78 clubs from 18 Arab countries entering to compete.
The AWST was originally created by Sharjah Ladies Club in 1997 as tournament for women only from the Gulf Cooperation Council nations.
But on a directive by the wife of the Ruler of Sharjah, Sheikha Jawaher bint Mohamed Al Qasimi, it was expanded to include women and women’s teams from all over the Arab world.
The Olympic-style event sees competitors taking part in basketball, volleyball, table tennis, athletics, archery, shooting, fencing, showjumping and karate.
Elsewhere at the tournament, the Saudi team won a sliver medal in the karate’s kata category behind an Egyptian team who bagged the gold medal, beating out Sharjah Women’s Sports who clinched the bronze.
