Dubai: Sharjah Club’s male team lifted the winners’ trophy at the 4th Emirates-Korean Friendship Championship held in Sharjah on October 12.
Players in all categories of male competitions showed great Taekwondo skills as they outplayed their opponents from at least 21 Taekwondo clubs which participated in the annual championship. The event saw participation from more than 230 male and female Taekwondo players from across the UAE.
Abdullah Hatim, the UAE’s national team coach and technical director of Sharjah Club, lifted the trophy after his club topped in the male category.
Fujairah Martial Arts Club (FMAC) clinched the overall winners’ trophy with a total of 36 medals including 18 gold, 9 silver and 9 bronze medals. Nadir Abu Shawish, Director of FMAC received the trophy.
Sharjah Club also got the overall second position trophy with a total of 33 medals including 18 gold, nine silver and three bronze medals.
Kwon Yongwoo, Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to the UAE, was the chief guest at the championship. Speaking on the occasion, he praised the level of Taekwondo players in the UAE. He said that he was very pleased to see the Korean martial arts growing fast in the Emirates. He also appreciated the efforts of UAE Taekwondo Federation to promote the game across the UAE.
President of the UAE Taekwondo Federation, Brigadier Ahmad Hamdan Obaid Ahmad Al Zayoudi, thanked the Korean Ambassador for sponsoring the event for the fourth consecutive year. About Taekwondo, he said that it was not just a martial art sport but it teaches self-control, respect and discipline. He said the federation would continue to promote the game support players at the local and international levels.
The UAE’s Taekwondo Federation is taking steps to help grow taekwondo in the UAE and the region, and this championship will contribute to this goal as large number of players from all over the country participated in making this event a big success,” Al Zayoudi said.
One of the standout performances came from Sharjah-based Pakistani Taekwondo brothers Ammar Ashfaq and Sinan Ashfaq who play for the Sharjah Club. Both of them bagged gold medals in the junior and cadet categories.
Taekwondo is one of the official medal sports at the Olympic Games since 2000, and it is a sport that is enjoyed by more than 80 million people worldwide.
A Korean demonstration team also especially came from South Korea to participate in the event. They mesmerised the audience with an outstanding display of taekwondo skills at the ceremony, which was attended by hundreds of athletes, their parents and officials.
In overall ranking, Sharjah Self Defence Sports Club took the third position while Itehad Kalba Club and Almohareb Martial Arts Club, Ras Al Khaimah got the fourth and fifth positions respectively.
