Maitha reigns supreme

Sheikha Maitha bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum led the UAE to win the First West Asian Ladies karate championship after she clinched two gold medals on the second day of the tournament at the Al Nasr's Rashid bin Hamdan indoor sports hall.

Sheikha Maitha won the first gold in the above 60-kg category of the kumite individual event after defeating Aghareed Haydar of Syria. The second gold came in the open weight category after beating Bosayna Saleh of Jordan.

UAE also claimed three bronze medals in yesterday's events. Asma Khalid won a bronze in the under 53-kg category while Tahani Al Muhairi and Mona Al Garg bagged a bronze each in the under 60-kg category. The UAE team will receive the trophy and gold medals during the closing ceremony, which will be held today at the Rashid bin Hamdan indoor.

The UAE were crowned champions after topping the medal standings with eight medals including three golds and five bronze. Jordan came second with one gold, four silver and one bronze.

Iran jumped to the third place after winning their first gold yesterday in the Kumite individual under 60-kg category. Iran also have three bronze medals.

Tajikistan took the fourth spot after winning their only gold medal by Nigora Tyuryaeva, the lone player representing Tajikistan. Syria came fifth with two silver and one bronze medals. Palestine and Lebanon finished in the sixth place with one bronze each.

Fakhr Eddin Abdul Majeed, the UAE karate champion who won a silver medal in the Asian Games 1998, and the current West Asian championship co-ordinator, said: "It is a great achievement by the UAE ladies to win the first Asian ladies championship title. I am really delighted by their performance."

Fakhr Eddin said Sheikha Maitha's excellent performance in the championship was key to UAE winning the title. "Sheikha Maitha played a major role in leading the UAE to title victory. The three gold medals she won put the UAE on top to be crowned champions."

Fakhr Eddin added that Sheikha Maitha's support to the ladies national team was terrific. "Sheikha Maitha's tremendous support to the national team resulted in this marvellous achievement. Without her support we wouldn't have achieved this great success."

Results (second day):

Individual Kumite under 53 kg category:
1. Gold: Nigora Tyuryaeva (Tajikistan); 2. Silver: Amani Shaath (Jordan); 3. Bronze: Asma Khlid (UAE), Pantea Kheiri (Iran).

Individual Kumite under 60 kg category:
1. Gold: Pegah Karkoti (Iran); 2. Silver: Suzan Abdul Halim (Jordan); 3. Bronze: Tahani Al Muhairi (UAE), Mona Al Garg (UAE).

Individual Kumite above 60 kg category:
1. Gold: Sheikha Maitha bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum (UAE); 2. Silver: Aghareed Haydar (Syria); 3. Bronze: Nawzat Hasaniya (Palestine), Bosayna Saleh (Jordan).

Individual Kumite open weight category:
1. Gold: Sheikha Maitha bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum; 2. Silver: Bosayna Saleh (Jordan); 3. Bronze: Safa Shahin (Syria), Parinaz Ghorani (Iran).