UAE athletes target rich medal haul at AWST

Sportswomen from across the UAE, the host country of the fifth Arab Women’s Sports Tournament (AWST) 2020, are gearing up to compete with athletes from 18 Arab countries in nine sports categories, aiming for a haul of gold medals. Organised by the Sharjah Women’s Sports (SWS), the event runs from Feb.2–12, in Sharjah.

The UAE will be represented by 15 teams from seven clubs: Sharjah Women’s Sports Club, Sharjah Equestrian and Racing Club, Al Wasl Sports Club, Al Nasr Sports Club, Baniyas Sports Club, Emirates Sports and Cultural Club, and Abu Dhabi Cricket Club. Between them, the teams will compete in all the categories represented in the tournament, the region’s largest women’s sporting event.

The Sharjah Women’s Sports Club will be competing in all the nine sports categories: basketball, volleyball, table tennis, shooting, show jumping, fencing, athletics, karate and archery. The Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies Sports Academy (FBMA) members will participate in show jumping.

The Al Wasl Sports Club will participate in volleyball and the Al Nasr Sports Club will compete in shooting, while the Baniyas Sports Club will concentrate on fencing. The Emirates Sports and Cultural Club will take on the athletics competitions, while the Abu Dhabi Cricket Club will compete in archery.

Maitha Bin Dhawi: “AWST will open up a new chapter for our athletes”

On the Emirati athletes’ preparation for the event, Maitha Bin Dhawi, Director of the Arab Women Sports Tournament, said: “Our female athletes are gearing up for the competitions with their counterparts from other Arab countries. Their participation will serve to further their professional careers which in turn will serve to boost the sports sector in Sharjah and the UAE.”

“Our Emirati athletes have put up a good show across the previous editions of the event, winning many medals. Their achievements over the years have managed to uplift the level of women’s sports across the UAE. All those accomplishments were the result of their dedicated training, as well as experience gained through competing in local and international matches, and from attending training camps. We look forward to furthering our successes in the forthcoming edition of the event that will add to UAE’s achievements,” she added.

Dhawi underscored that AWST highlighted the significance of sports as an indicator of a nation’s development and prosperity. She noted that the tournament complemented Sharjah’s achievements in sports.

Held under the patronage of Her Highness Sheikha Jawaher Bint Mohammed Al Qasimi, wife of His Highness Dr Sheikh Sultan Bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Member of the UAE Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjahand Chairperson of the Sharjah Women Sports (SWS), the Arab Women Sports Tournament (AWST), is organised by the Sharjah Women Sports (SWS) in partnership with the UAE Sports Council, Sharjah Sports Council and the Union of Arab National Olympic Committees.

Launched in 2012, the bi-yearly Olympics-themed women sports tournament, hosts a number of women’s sports clubs from more than 15 Arab nations.

In 2018, AWST hosted 67 women sports clubs from 16 Arab nations who competed across nine games, and received media coverage from more than 380 outlets across the Arab region.

The fifth edition of the tournament will play a major role in building on the five years of success of the AWST brand, and support the growth and development of the regional sports industry and women sports initiatives.