DUBAI: Over 900 female athletes from 14 Arab countries will compete in seven events in Arab Women Sports Tournament that will take place in Sharjah from Feb. 2-12.
Addressing a press conference on Tuesday at Al Jawaher Reception & Convention Center in Sharjah, Nada Askar Al Naqbi, head of Executive Committee and manager of Arab Women Sports Tournament (AWST), released the schedule for the second edition of Arab Women Sports Tournament.
UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Algeria, Jordan, Palestine, Libya, Lebanon, Yemen, Sudan, Iraq and Egypt are participating in 11-day event.
Nada highlighted the participation of 14 countries, starting with the UAE, which will have six clubs – Sharjah Ladies Club, Bani Yas, Al Shabab, Ajman, Al Wasl, and Abu Dhabi Police club – participating in seven games, including basketball, volleyball, table tennis, athletics, fencing, shooting, and archery.
Jordan has entered four clubs, Al Mokawloon, Women Club, The Fencing Club, and the Olympic Club, which will be competing in four games, namely basketball, volleyball, fencing, and athletics.
Six clubs from Bahrain, including Al Moharraq, Bahrain Club, the Fencing Club, Al Ahli, the Shooting Club, and Al Shabab Sportage Club, will be competing in basketball, volleyball, table tennis, fencing, shooting, and athletics at the Tournament.
Jibalona Club will be representing Algeria in archery and shooting, while Al Hilal Club from Sudan will be competing in archery. From clubs from Iraq will also be participating – these are Serawan Nawa, Kadhimiya, Erbil, and the Armenian Club. They will be competing in basketball, fencing, shooting, and athletics. From Oman, Saham Club and Alittihad Club will be competing in volleyball and shooting, respectively.
Palestine will be competing in fencing and athletics via two clubs: Al Quds and Areeha, while Qatar will be represented by Qatar Ladies Club, which will be competing in basketball, table tennis, fencing, shooting, archery, and athletics.
Kuwait’s Al Fatat Club will be participating in five games – basketball, volleyball, table tennis, shooting, and athletics – while Lebanon’s Shabab Al Fawar Club will be showcasing their table tennis skills.
Two clubs from Libya, Sedi Selim Club and Al Ahli, will be competing in fencing and shooting, respectively; Egypt will be represented by the Delphi and Al Sayd Clubs in volleyball and archery; and Yemen’s Al Fatayat Clyb will be participating in volleyball, table tennis, shooting, fencing, and athletics.
The event, which is an initiative by Sheikha Jawaher bin Mohammed Al Qasimi aims to develop Arab women sports and improve their sporting skills and capabilities.
Sheikh Khalid bin Ahmed bin Sultan Al Qasimi, chairman of the higher organizing committee of the Tournament of Arab Women Sports Tournament said that the event, the first of its kind for women’s sporting clubs in the Arab world and recognized by the Union of Arab National Olympic Committees and the Arab League, is considered “an accomplishment for Emirati and Arab women, since organizing such sporting events is not a straightforward task in many societies.”
Ahmad Al Fardan, Secretary General of the Sharjah Sports Council; Osama Samra, Director of Sharjah Media Center also addressed the media.
AWST to be held in Sharjah from Feb. 2
AWST to be held in Sharjah from Feb. 2
Dubai Basketball edge Milan to secure EuroLeague victory
DUBAI: Dubai Basketball strengthened their home-court reputation with a 99-92 win over EA7 Emporio Armani Milan in Round 18 of the EuroLeague at Coca-Cola Arena on Tuesday, cheered on by more than 5,000 fans.
The hosts made a fast start and immediately imposed themselves at both ends of the floor. Canadian center Mfiondu Kabengele and Serbian big man Filip Petrusev controlled the paint early, creating close-range scoring opportunities and forcing Milan into defensive adjustments. With McKinley Wright IV and Dwayne Bacon adding pace and penetration, Dubai surged into a double-digit lead and dictated the tempo of the opening quarter.
Milan struggled to settle and spent much of the first period on the back foot, as Dubai’s advantage stretched to 15 points. Although the visitors steadied themselves as the quarter progressed, the early deficit proved costly.
Dubai head coach Jurica Golemac praised the impact of the home crowd after the game, saying: “Congratulations to the fans. We were missing them for sure in the last home game, and they helped us a lot. In the first quarter, we played one of our best quarters this season. The next game is at home in three days, so there is no time to rest too much. We need to prepare for that game first. We are not thinking three games ahead — we prepare for every game and try to win every game.”
Milan showed improved rhythm in the second quarter, but Dubai responded before the break. Bacon punished defensive lapses from beyond the arc, while Kabengele finished strongly inside to help the hosts take a seven-point lead into halftime.
The final period was defined by composure rather than flair. Milan threatened to draw level on several occasions, but missed free throws and execution errors halted their momentum. Bacon sealed the outcome from the free-throw line in the final two minutes, pushing Dubai back into a double-digit advantage and closing out the contest.
Bacon led all scorers with 25 points, while Wright recorded 19 points and nine assists. Kabengele added 17 points, and Petrusev contributed 13 points and seven rebounds. For Milan, Guduric topped the scoring with 11 points, alongside seven rebounds and seven assists.
Dubai Basketball now turn their attention to the ABA League, where they remain unbeaten. The team return to Coca-Cola Arena to face Slovenia’s KRKA in Round 12 of the competition.
