Dubai: Kuwait’s Abdul Aziz Al Shatti picked up a couple of medals as the fencing competition concluded at the Seventh Nad Al Sheba (NAS) Ramadan Sports Tournament late on Monday.
Al Shatti won a gold and a bronze leaving Egypt’s Ala’a Al Deen Abu Al Kassem — the first Arab and African fencer to win a medal at the Olympics when he returned home with a men’s foil silver from the 2012 London Games — to take the silver in the foil final after losing to Dutchman Daniel Giacon.
Al Shatti, who participated at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games under the Olympic flag due to Kuwait’s suspension, defeated Libyan Khalid Buhdeima 14-13 for gold in the Men’s Epee International final and then took bronze in the Men’s Foil International with a 15-10 verdict over Egypt’s Abdul Rahman Haffour.
“Given the quality of the opponents present here, including a couple of top international players, I believe this tournament is a really good preparation for the season ahead, especially since it is taking place only a few days before the Grand Prix in Shanghai [May 17-19],” the Kuwaiti said.
Titans book quarter berth
In cricket, Veera Pandian anchored well to lead Titans Cricket Club to a tense low-scoring win over ASR-Meritorious and book their ticket to the quarter-final at the Wombats Cricket Ground in Jebel Ali.
The Titans, who had defeated Abu Dhabi Cricket Lads by 10 wickets in their opening match, struggled chasing a modest target after restricting ASR-Meritorious to 83-3. The target could have been lower, but R Ashwin with an unbeaten 49 from 28 deliveries plundered 22 runs from Atif Khan’s final over.
Salman Cool Boys were the other winners with 23-run result against Rising Star Cricket Club to remain in the hunt for a quarter-final spot. The Cool Boys, whose opening game against Hamriya Kings was abandoned due to dense fog last Thursday, posted 136-6 with Muzamil Qasim being the star with a 19-ball 48.
The Rising Stars came flying out of the blocks in the chase and had 81 on the board in 5.5 overs, but then three wickets in the space of 15 deliveries, for the addition of only 12 runs, turned the tide and the Rising Stars were eventually restricted to 113-5.
Meanwhile, Bin Thani cruised to a straight-sets 25-21, 25-21, 25-19 win over Fohood Zabeel to take third place in the NAS volleyball competition with their foreign duo of Zuhair Al Karawai (18 points) and Mohammad Sheikhi (16) leading the scoring charts.
RESULTS
Fencing Men’s Foil International Final: Daniel Giacon (Netherlands) bt Ala’a Al Deen Abu Al Kassem (Egypt) 14-13. Third place: Abdul Aziz Al Shatti (Kuwait) bt Abdul Rahman Haffour (Egypt) 15-10. Men’s Epee International Final: Abdul Aziz Al Shatti (Kuwait) bt Khalid Buhdeima (Libya) 14-13. Third place: Taher Ashouri (Iran) bt Randy Postma (Netherlands) 15-11. Men’s Epee Local Final: Saif Ahmad (Dubai Fencing Centre) beat Mohammad Al Maazmi (Sharjah) 15-12. Third place: Khalifa Al Zarouni (Bani Yas) bt Hamad Al Jallaf (Bani Yas) 15-12. Women’s Epee International Final: Nardine Botrous (Egypt) bt Kelly Boone (Netherlands) 15-14. Third place: Sherwet Aly (Egypt) beat Salwa Aly (Egypt) 15-10. Women’s Epee Local Final: Alanoud Al Sa’adi (Sharjah Women’s Club) beat Shouq Juma (Sharjah Women’s Club) 15-9. Third place: Ashwaq Al Messabi (Bani Yas) beat Fatima Al Ka’abi (Bani Yas) 15-14
Volleyball
Third place play-off: Bin Thani beat Fohood Zabeel 3-0 (25-21, 25-21, 25-19)
Cricket
Salman Cool Boys beat Rising Star CC by 23 runs; Titans CC beat ASR-Meritorious by 2 wickets
Padel
Men’s Open: Javier Lopez Garcia/Sandy Farquharson beat Mohammad Al Janahi/Saeed Al Marri 6-0, 6-0; Benjamin Cassaigne/Xavier Masson beat Jameel Hourani/Dean McFarlane 6-2, 6-2; Martin Noschese/Simon Rahman beat Emilio Misas/Guillermo Villafane 3-6, 6-4, 6-4. UAE Nationals: Salem Ali Al Houli/Eisa Junaid beat Nasser Al Neyadi/Jalal Sharif 1-6, 6-4, 6-4. Team Championship: Valencia beat Padel Pod 2-0 (6-0, 6-0; 6-0, 6-0).
Wheelchair Basketball
Group A: Dewa beat Dubai Club for People of Determination 38-19; Al Ansari Exchange beat Dnata 21-8
