Dubai: Athletes from Canada, Pakistan and Tajikistan hogged the limelight at the end of the 2016 Jubilee Games that concluded with the formal closing ceremony at the Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) over the weekend.
Attended by Shaikh Mansour Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman, Dubai International Marine Club (DIMC), the closing ceremony of an international sporting event featuring more than 2,000 athletes and 10,000 spectators from some 25 countries from the Ismaili Muslim community and witnessed Canada end at the top of the medals table, followed by Pakistan and Tajikistan.
The competition was held in 15 sporting disciplines at various venues in Dubai, including the Dubai Sports World at the DWTC, Hamdan Sports Complex and the Emirates Sevens Stadium along the Dubai-Al Ain highway.
After eight days of competition, Canada topped the standings with a total of 60 medals, including 20 gold, followed by Pakistan with 42 medals, of which 17 were gold, while Tajikistan took third place on the podium with 26, of which ten were gold.
The closing ceremony marked the success of the strategic partnership between the Ismaili community and the Dubai Sports Council (DSC). “The vision of the Dubai Sports Council is to create a unique sports community, and we do this by creating a sporting awareness among the residents of the UAE. One of the highlights in this is the creation of strategic partnerships at various levels, and the collaboration with the 2016 Jubilee Games is a manifestation of the ideals,” Saeed Hareb, General Secretary, DSC, noted in his comments.
Known for his athleticism and sporting lifestyle, Shaikh Mansour commended the Ismaili community for staging this edition of the Jubilee Games. “The successful staging of these games manifested the true notion of pluralism, team spirit and community well-being in keeping with the ideals fostered by the leaders of the UAE,” Shaikh Mansour said.
Dr Mahmoud Eboo, Chairman of the 2016 Jubilee Games, hailed the uniqueness of the event that rotates around the world. “In the past few days we have witnessed the highest calibre of competition and camaraderie in sports. No matter where we come from in the world, no matter how many different languages we speak or no matter how diverse our cultures, it is sports that transcends all boundaries and unites us all under one common banner,” Eboo said in his closing remarks.
“Sport has a unique way of uniting people, and all of us are today witness to this unity, not just here but from all parts of the world,” he added.
The closing ceremony marked the culmination of more than three years of planning and execution by a team of over 800 volunteers. The next Jubilee Games will be held in 2020, and the host city will be named in the near future.
