UAE junior talent to be rewarded in Mohammad Creative Sports Award

Dubai: For the first in its history, three promising junior sportspersons from the UAE will be eligible for the Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Creative Sports Award.

Dr Ahmad Sa’ad Al Sharif, General Secretary of Dubai Sports Council (DSC), disclosed this while launching the fifth edition of the Award on Thursday.

The introduction of the new category follows directions from Shaikh Hamdan Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of DSC.

“This new category in the Award will recognise three promising UAE junior sportspersons under the age of 18 years who have done well during the past season,” Dr Al Sharif said.

“Individual sport is the way forward for our sportspersons and we are convinced that such support will create a unique atmosphere for our talented youngsters to take their sport to the next stage.”

Last year international jet-ski champion Al Mur Mohammad Bin Huraiz was presented with a special prize for being the best “emerging young UAE athlete”.

Another category in the Award recognises the work of international sports federations rather than restricting to National Olympic Committees, as was the case in 2012.

Last year, International Olympic Committee President, Jacques Rogge, was presented with the award for his distinguished efforts in enriching the Olympic Movement, while the British Olympic Association received an accolade for its impeccable hosting of the 2012 London Olympic Games.

The big winners at the fourth edition of the Award were Shaikha Hayat Bint Abdul Aziz Al Khalifa of Bahrain for her efforts in promoting sport for women and Algerian middle-distance runner Tawfiq Al Makhloufi for winning the 1,500 metres gold medal at the 2012 London Games.

In the past four years, 77 sportspersons and sports bodies from the world have been declared winners of the award. There have been 573 entries from 19 countries, of which 34 have been from the UAE.

“Each year we have worked hard to ensure we become better, be it in new categories that have been included or in raising the profile of the award internationally,” he added.

Dr Ahmad Al Sharif was joined by Dr Khalifa Al Sha’ali, Member of Board of Trustees and Head of Technical Committee of the Award and Ahmad Al Hammadi, Member of the Communications and Marketing Committee for the Award.

Entries for the fifth edition of the Award will be accepted until August 31.

Winners will be announced during the third week of November and the awards will be presented on January 6.

Launched in 2007, the annual Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Creative Sports Award is meant to support and highlight pioneering creative efforts of individuals, bodies and institutions in the field of sports in the UAE, Arab world and internationally.