Sharjah: Hosts UAE, Bahrain, Egypt and Iraq have started their push towards the medal rush as the 11-day seventh Arab Women Sports Tournament is entering the home stretch before the conclusion on February 12.
UAE clinched three gold medals, two silver and a bronze in the inaugural karate competitions on Friday as Bahrain collected a total of nine medals, five gold and four silver, in athletics over the first two days of track and field competition.
Egypt also made a strong showing with its athletes winning five medals, including two gold, a silver and two bronze, demonstrating their prowess across various disciplines. Meanwhile, the Iraqi team added seven medals to their tally, comprising a gold, three silver and three bronze, marking a significant achievement for the country in the tournament. The Omani team concluded Friday with a silver medal, adding to the competition’s excitement.
UAE women demonstrated their strong skills in karate when they secured five medals in the nine-club competition. Sheikha Al Yafei of Shabab Al Ahli in kata, Sharjah Women’s Club’s Sara Hatem Al Ameri in kumite gave the hosts the two gold medals in individual category while Shabab Al Ahli won the gold team kata gold.
At the conclusion of Friday’s competition, Syria’s Nasib club emerged on top of the medal’s table after securing two golds, one silver and four bronzes. Hot on their heels was UAE’s Shabab Al Ahli, boasting two golds and one silver, closely followed by Kuwait’s Al Fatat, which claimed one gold, one silver and two bronzes. Sharjah Women’s Sports claimed the fourth spot with one gold, one silver and a bronze.
Bahraini athletes to the fore
The Bahraini athletics team maintained their supremacy in athletics, securing four medals on Friday at Al Thiqa Club in Sharjah. The team’s haul included three gold and a silver, complementing their collection from Day 1, which consisted of 2 golds and 3 silver medals.
In the 400m race, Zainab Mohammed from Bahrain surged to victory, claiming the gold medal with an impressive time of 54.58 seconds, edging out fellow Bahraini Awatif Ahmed. Marta Yuta from Bahrain clinched the gold medal with a time of 2:09.83 in the 800-metre race while Bahrain also clinched the 4x100-metre relay
The heptathlon competition, which included competitions in 100m hurdles, high jump, shot put, 200-metre, long jump, javelin, and 800-metre race, saw Nour Abdou Abdelhamid Mohammed from Egypt clinching the gold medal with 3,954 points. Benin Ahmed Al Zarjawi of Iraq secured the silver medal with 3,939 points while Shahad Kamel Al Sayed Ali Ali, also from Egypt, earned the bronze with 3,535 points. Ayah Mustafa from Egypt cleared 1.70 metres to clinch the high jump gold while Jawan Hassan of Iraq emerged victorious in the triple jump event with a leap of 11.48 metres.
Lebanese sprinter wins 100-metre race
On the opening day on Thursday, Bahrain claimed the 100-metre hurdles and 1,000-metre race and they were complemented by three silver medals in the 100m sprint, 1000m race, and the hammer throw.
But Lebanese Maysa Maouad bagged the gold in the 100-metre sprint, the highlight of the opening day on Thursday, after completing the race in 12.24 seconds. Bahraini Zainab Mohammed snatched the silver with her 12.42 seconds, while the bronze went to Omani Azza Al-Yarubi, after crossing the finish line in 12.59 seconds.
Iraqi athletes showcased their skills, securing four coloured medals, including a coveted gold in the long jump, a silver and bronze in the 100m hurdles, and another bronze in the 10,000m sprint. Meanwhile, Libya secured a gold medal in the discus throw and Kuwait took home two bronze medals in the hammer throw and the long jump.
