Dubai Emirati Qais Omar will achieve a lifelong dream of playing basketball on the world stage after he was crowned winner of the Red Bull King of the Rock UAE’s qualifying finals at the Satwa Park basketball court.
His remarkable win will soon take him to Alcatraz Island, dubbed ‘The Rock’, and located in the San Francisco Bay, where he will represent his country in the USA World Finals. He will be up against 63 international contestants hailing from 48 countries and 16 US states.
The Dubai event that he won marked the world-renowned competition’s inaugural edition in the UAE and saw the basketball maestro prevail over an impressive gathering of 63 players, thanks to his stellar shooting prowess and immaculate defence in a one-on-one, half-court basketball contest.
Although winning the knock-out final tournament, which takes place on September 23, will not be an easy task, the ultimate chance to indulge in one’s passion for the game combined with an outstanding victory prize of $20,000 (Dhs 73,500) make it well worth the effort.
“Given this particular format, the battle for the title of world champion presents extremely stiff competition,” Omar said.
“But I was determined to give it my all on the court, and now all of my dreams have finally come true. I am especially thrilled that I managed to channel my energy into the game and not succumb to the pressure of having a large crowd study my every move,” he added.
