UAE clinch Team Kata gold medal

Sheikha Maitha bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum helped the UAE to win Team Kata gold in the First West Asian Ladies karate championship inaugurated yesterday at Al Nasr's club Rashid bin Hamdan indoor sports hall.

The UAE team who clinched the gold in addition to Sheikha Maitha include Maryam Abdul Qader and Mona Faisal Al Garg. Sheikha Maitha also won a bronze medal in the Individual Kata held early in the morning. Maryam Abdul Qader also won a bronze in the Individual Kata.

Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President Dubai Civil Aviation, Chairman Emirates Group, President UAE National Olympic Committee (UAE NOC) attended the opening ceremony.

He declared the championship open on behalf of the Championship's patron General Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Minister of Defence.

Sheikh Ahmed presented the winners with medals and trophies. He praised the excellent result achieved by Sheikha Maitha and her teammates in winning the gold in Team Kata.

"It's a tremendous achievement which shows the excellent progress for the UAE ladies sport."

Sheikh Ahmed said that the gathering of the karate ladies from Arab and Asian countries to compete in Dubai will encourage the UAE ladies to practice sport and karate in particular.

The UAE NOC president added: "The excellent results which is achieved by the UAE youth in regional, continental, international level is an extra-ordinary outcome for the hard work achieved by the NOC, sport associations, clubs, and also sport in schools. I think we will gain more achievements in the future by planning in style."

Sheikh Ahmed thanked the championship organising committee for their great efforts to make the opening ceremony and the championship very successful.

The First West Asian Ladies Karate Championship was inaugurated in a colourful opening with folklore dancing and karate show by young players.

Saif Salim Al Shamssi, the UAE Karate association president and the organising committee chairman, attended the opening ceremony.

Dr. Tariq Humaid Al Tayer, the Al Nasr club executive bureau chairman, Bashir El Sherrif, deputy chairman International Karate Federation, Nader El Sherrif chairman, Arab Karate Federation, Habibu Allah Nazarian, chairman West Asian Karate Federation (WAKF), Tomi Moris, head of the referees committee in the IKF, attended the opening ceremony along with the head of delegations.

Nazarian on behalf of the WAKF thanked the UAE and Karate federation for hosting the event.

Saif Al Shamssi said it's a great pleasure to host the first Asian ladies karate championship on the occasion of the 36th anniversary of the President His Highness Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan's Accession Day.

He also expressed gratitude to General Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum for his generosity to support the championship which is held in Dubai, the capital of sports in the Middle East.

He also said they are proud of Sheikha Maitha, the daughter of Sheikh Mohammed, is leading the UAE team in the Asian championship.

The UAE team who won the Gold medal in the Team Kata led by Sheikha Maitha, with Maryam Abdul Qader and Mona Al Garg were delighted with the gold they won. They beat Bahrain in the quarterfinals and Lebanon in the semifinals.

In the other semifinal, Iran beat Jordan, but Jordan lodged a complaint against the Iranians. They succeeded in it and made the final. The UAE beat Jordan to win won the gold. Jordan won the silver while Iran and Lebanon took the bronze.

In the Kata individual, Rada Bushara of Jordan won the gold after she beat Ramia Bashir of Syria in final. Sheikha Maitha, who won the bronze medal, lost in semifinals to Ramia Bashir. Maryam Abdul Qader lost to Jordan's Rada Jasir.

Maryam Abdul Qader and Mona Al Garg were very happy. "We are proud to achieve this great result for our country. It wasn't easy to win the gold against players from other countries who are more experienced than us.

"But we worked hard during the last months to prepare for the Asian tournament in an excellent way. We succeeded in winning the Gold medal after tough matches. We will spare no effort to achieve more success for our country in the coming matches," said the UAE gold medallists.