The much-awaited 13th SABIS Global Sports Tournament took place over the weekend, from April 28-30, co-hosted by the International Schools of Choueifat in Sharjah and Ajman, UAE. Held every other year, this event brings together students from across the SABIS Network to showcase their athletic talent, team spirit and true sportsmanship in a series of sports challenges in four categories: football, basketball, swimming, and track and field, which included sprints, relays and long jump.
With every edition, the tournament has been witnessing an increase in the number of participating schools and countries. This year, Brazil and China joined the tournament, which gathered around 1,000 student-athletes representing 30 participating schools in 15 countries from across the SABIS Network, including Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Egypt, Germany, Jordan, Kenya, Kurdistan – Iraq, Lebanon, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE.
The tournament kicked off with a grand opening ceremony on April 27, which welcomed Shaikh Majid Bin Sultan Bin Saqer Al Qasimi, Member of Sharjah Executive Council and Chairman of the Districts and Villages Affairs Department; Ali Mesri Al Dhaheri, representing Dr Ahmad Belhoul Al Falasi, the Minister of Education, and Shaikh Suhail Bin Butti Al Maktoum, Executive Director of the Sports Development sector at the General Sports Authority; and Eisa Hilal El Hazamy, Chairman of Sharjah Sports Council, alongside the participants’ families, coaches, and community members.
Following the ceremony were three full days of high-spirited competitions, in which student-athletes radiated a spirit of sportsmanship and enthusiasm as they showcased their strength and athletic prowess to spectators. Student-athletes and staff also enjoyed a ceremonious dinner on the second night of the tournament where they were wowed by vibrant performances from SABIS students from schools in the UAE and China.
Competitions were fiercely fought as all contestants showed high levels of competence. Contestants from SABIS schools in Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Kurdistan-Iraq, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE took home gold, silver and bronze medals for their success in various sports. SABIS Vice President, Victor Saad; ISC-Ajman School Director, Ayman Azzam; and ISC-Sharjah School Director, Wissam Malaeb presented the awards to winning teams and student-athletes at the end of the tournament.
The hosts, International Schools of Choueifat in Sharjah and Ajman, won a total of 26 medals constituting gold, silver, and bronze.
In Girls Basketball, the final games saw a captivating match between SIS-Adma (Lebanon) and ISC-Amman (Jordan), where SIS-Adma emerged victorious.
As for Boys Basketball, the audience witnessed a fierce competition between ISC-Amman (Jordan) and ISC-Koura (Lebanon), with ISC-Amman coming out on top. In Under 10 Boys Football, ISC-Doha (Qatar) and ISC-Abu Dhabi (UAE) teams demonstrated exceptional skills on the field, with ISC-Abu Dhabi winning 1st place. In Under 10 Boys Football competition, ISC-Abu Dhabi defeated ISC-Dubai in a lively game.
The swimming and track-and-field competitions were intense, with nine new records set in Under 16 Girls 100m Sprint (ISC-Koura, Lebanon), Under 16 Boys Long Jump (ISC-Doha, Qatar), Girls Swimming Relay (ISC-Cairo, Egypt), Boys Swimming Relay (AIS–Al-Sulaimaniah, Saudi Arabia), Under 16 Boys Swimming Breaststroke (ISC-DIP, UAE), Under 16 Boys Freestyle (ISC-DIP, UAE), Under 12 Girls Swimming Breaststroke (ISC-Cairo, Egypt), Under 12 Boys Swimming Freestyle (ISC-Sharjah, UAE) and Under 12 Boys Swimming Backstroke (ISC-Sharjah, UAE).
Special awards were also granted to students with stellar performances: the Golden Boot awards went to two footballers from ISC-Muscat (Oman) and CADMUS Iraq Gate (Iraq), and the Most Valuable Player (MVP) awards were given to basketball contestants from SIS-Adma (Lebanon) and ISC-Amman (Jordan).
With outstanding performances and new set records, student-athletes have yet again set the bar even higher for future competitors.
Since its inception in 2002, the tournament has been regarded as far more than a sporting event that empowers students to refine their athletic skills as it also encourages them to foster diversity, form friendships, and gain a set of valuable life skills and attributes—sportsmanship, openness, accountability, collaboration and more—that shape them into champions at every level and give them a significant advantage in university and beyond.
To learn more about SABIS Global Sports Tournament winners, follow its Facebook page or visit Gst.sabis.net
