Sahlawi, Siraj bag badminton titles as Sheikha Hind Women’s Tournament ends on high note

Mona Al Sahlawi of Emirates National Oil Company (ENOC) and Nafeesah Sara Siraj of Dubai Media Inc. clinched the badminton crowns as curtains came down on season eight of Sheikha Hind Women’s Sports Tournament.

Held under the patronage of the wife of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai, HH Sheikha Hind Bint Maktoum Bin Juma Al Maktoum, the Sheikha Hind Women’s Sports Tournament is organised by the Women’s Sports Committee of Dubai Sports Council and participation is open to all Emirati and non-Emirati ladies working in the government, semi-government and private sectors.

The 2020 season of the tournament - which featured six individual sports: bowling, road run, cycling, badminton, CrossFit, and table tennis - started on November 8 and came to a close on November 21 with the badminton finals taking place on the courts of Dubai Sports World, inside the air-conditioned halls of Dubai World Trade Centre.

Al Sahlawi, who had finished runners-up to Dubai Public Prosecution’s Heba Sami in the table tennis competition earlier, defeated Amal Youssef of Dubai Public Prosecution for the badminton title in the Emirati section, while Rawda Al Hajri of Dubai Police took the bronze medal.

In the non-Emirati badminton final, Nafeesah Sara Siraj defeated Gyanu Maya Baral for the title, while Jeanielie Cabulong of Dubai Health Authority took the bronze medal.

In the CrossFit championship, which took place on November 20 at the Max & Aegle fitness centre in Meydan, Noura Al Sarrah of Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) took the top spot among Emiratis, finishing ahead of Hamda Al Marri of Zayed of Zayed University and Latifa Al Falasi of Dubai Culture and Arts Authority. Heba AlSyed Salahuddin took the title in the non-Emirati section, while Anna Zih of Dubai Municipality finished second and Sara Shehady of DEWA was third.

In the 18km Cycle Race that took place on November 17 on the Nad Al Sheba cycling track, Safia Al Sayegh of General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs took the top honours among Emiratis, while Ruqayya Ahmed of Dubai Police came second and Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank’s Farah Al Marri was third.

In the non-Emirati section of the cycle race, Samah Mohammed of Dubai Police finished at the top, and was followed by Sarra Lajnef of Sarra Lajnef Sports Services in second while Meike Fickenscher of Dubai Equestrian Club Meydan took the third spot.

Lajnef had earlier finished second in the 3km Road Run as well, behind Latifa Saroukh of Dubai Club for People of Determination, while Shantee Shingraj of Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing had taken the bronze.

Dubai Police’s Mariam Mubarak had taken the gold among Emiratis in the Road Run, finishing ahead of Rawda Al Mansouri of Dubai Electricity and Water Authority, while Noura Jassim of State Security took the bronze.

In the bowling competition, Suad Yousef Saeed of Dubai Police finished ahead of Dubai Municipality’s Fatima Sabeel in the Emirati category, and Sheikha Aba Bangit of Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing came third. In the non-Emirati category, Lady Liz-Ann of FAME Training Institute took the top honours, while Aura Michello of Idea Art Interior took silver and Jennifer Mamoun of Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing got the bronze.

In the table tennis competition, Heba Sami was the champion among Emiratis, defeating Al Sahlawi, while Fatima Mohammed of Dubai Municipality took the bronze medal. In the non-Emirati table tennis competition, Sondos Salem of Roads and Transport Authority of Dubai (RTA) defeated her RTA Ma Bermadette for the title, while Yolanda of Dubai Corporation for Ambulance Services finished third.