UAE well-prepared for W. Asian event

The First West Asian ladies karate championship will be inaugurated today at the Al Nasr Club's Rashid bin Hamdan indoor sports hall.

A total of 10 Asian countries are participating in the championship. They are Lebanon, Kuwait, Syria, Palestine, Tajikistan, Iran, Jordan, Bahrain and Yemen. The UAE will take part with two teams A and B.

The championship is being held under the patronage of General Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Minister of Defence.

The matches will start at 10 a.m. with the individual kata event. The official opening ceremony will take place at 5:30 p.m.

All the nine teams have arrived in Dubai earlier, but the draw was held late last night after the arrival of the Kuwaiti delegation.

The championship will be held in four categories: individual kata, team kata, individual kumite (according to official weights at the International Karate Federation), and team kumite.

Issa Saif, Head of the UAE delegation, told Gulf News that the UAE team were well-prepared for the Asian event. "We started the preparations 45 days ago. The team trained hard during this period and also had warm up matches against the Syria in Dubai last month."

Lists of participating delegations:
UAE: Issa Saif, head of delegation, Natali Dhaher, Maysa Dandash, Hussain Samir, administrators, Moeena Jadid coach, Samir Hussain, technical manager and 11 players: Sheikha Maytha bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Maryam Abdul Qader, Mona Faisal Al Garg, Asma Khalid, Tahani Al Muhairi, Asma Al Rahma, Zainab Al Rahma, Amani Naser, Maryam Abdullah, Tahera Al Mansouri.

Bahrain: Ahmed Abdul Rahman, head of delegation, Adila Habib, administrator, Ali Hussain, coach, Mohammed Ali, referee, and seven players: Rana, Rasha, Lamya Abed Ali Al Shuweikh, Reem Mohammed, Khulood Al Khilaifat, Sara Mohammed, Muntaha Al Elaiwat.

Yemen: Mukhtar Al Huwaishi, head of delegation, Khalid Taresh, administrator, Arif Abdul Wahed, coach, Muneer Humaid, referee and five players: Ebtihaj Mehdi, Najla Mehdi, Kawkab Abdul Wahed, Reham Mohammed, Wad'ha Hasan.

Palestine: Mahmoud Abu Musameh, head of delegation, Ehab Osman, administrator, Yahia Mahmoud, coach, Mahmoud Ahmed, referee and seven players: Nawzat Adnan, Tamara Moham-med, Rawan Mohammed, Khansa Hafez, Arwa Mufleh, Batool Hakim, Rana Adel.

Iran: Eshrat Mohammedi, head of delegation, Layla Bahrimi, administrator, Afsani Pajeri, coach, Mareziya Toba, referee, and eight players: Shahinaz Hussaini, Barinaz Sayedi, Faroknaz Arbab, Aliya Kianyan, Paresa Joedarezi, Bijah Karkoti, Sevia Hobifatan, Bantia Kaviani.

Jordan: Ali Ahmed Issa, head of delegation, Maysoon Raphael, technical manager, Hind Hamouga, administrator, Ibrahim Mahmoud, coach, Moamar Majdi, referee, and six palyers: Manar Ibrahim, Amani Ibrahim, Rada Bushara, Buthayna Mohammed, Suzan Fawaz, Marena Mohammed.

Syria: Jihad Mahmoud, head of delegation, Amira Ahmed, administrator, Bashir Mohammed, coach, Mohammed Ahmed, referee, and eight players: Ramiya Bashir, Budoor Ahmed, Agharid Hasan, Suzan Adnan, Safa Suliman, Samia Mursal, Reem samir, Samar Yahia.

Lebanon: Michal Nakouzi, head of delegation, Abdullah Saleh, admini-strator, Ali Ismail, coach, Hasan Mughaniya, referee, and eight players: Rehab Sawaya, Suha Salman, Samah Al Zain, Natali Maron, Aliyana Ghasan, Valeri Nabil, Sara Al Zain, Shadiya Yousuf.

Kuwait: Khalaf Khamis, head of delegation, Hussain Karon, administrat-or, and one player: Abrar Hussain Karon.

Tajikistan: Amarkahan, head of delegation, Zarouna Ismailof, administ-rator, Arsha Jafanshir, coach, Alamkhan Kirbanov, referee, and one player Nigora.