AWST to be held in Sharjah from Feb. 2

K.T.ABDURABB: ARAB NEWS STAFF

DUBAI: Over 900 female athletes from 14 Arab countries will compete in seven events in Arab Women Sports Tournament that will take place in Sharjah from Feb. 2-12.
Addressing a press conference on Tuesday at Al Jawaher Reception & Convention Center in Sharjah, Nada Askar Al Naqbi, head of Executive Committee and manager of Arab Women Sports Tournament (AWST), released the schedule for the second edition of Arab Women Sports Tournament.
UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Algeria, Jordan, Palestine, Libya, Lebanon, Yemen, Sudan, Iraq and Egypt are participating in 11-day event.
Nada highlighted the participation of 14 countries, starting with the UAE, which will have six clubs – Sharjah Ladies Club, Bani Yas, Al Shabab, Ajman, Al Wasl, and Abu Dhabi Police club – participating in seven games, including basketball, volleyball, table tennis, athletics, fencing, shooting, and archery.
Jordan has entered four clubs, Al Mokawloon, Women Club, The Fencing Club, and the Olympic Club, which will be competing in four games, namely basketball, volleyball, fencing, and athletics.
Six clubs from Bahrain, including Al Moharraq, Bahrain Club, the Fencing Club, Al Ahli, the Shooting Club, and Al Shabab Sportage Club, will be competing in basketball, volleyball, table tennis, fencing, shooting, and athletics at the Tournament.
Jibalona Club will be representing Algeria in archery and shooting, while Al Hilal Club from Sudan will be competing in archery. From clubs from Iraq will also be participating – these are Serawan Nawa, Kadhimiya, Erbil, and the Armenian Club. They will be competing in basketball, fencing, shooting, and athletics. From Oman, Saham Club and Alittihad Club will be competing in volleyball and shooting, respectively.
Palestine will be competing in fencing and athletics via two clubs: Al Quds and Areeha, while Qatar will be represented by Qatar Ladies Club, which will be competing in basketball, table tennis, fencing, shooting, archery, and athletics.
Kuwait’s Al Fatat Club will be participating in five games – basketball, volleyball, table tennis, shooting, and athletics – while Lebanon’s Shabab Al Fawar Club will be showcasing their table tennis skills.
Two clubs from Libya, Sedi Selim Club and Al Ahli, will be competing in fencing and shooting, respectively; Egypt will be represented by the Delphi and Al Sayd Clubs in volleyball and archery; and Yemen’s Al Fatayat Clyb will be participating in volleyball, table tennis, shooting, fencing, and athletics.
The event, which is an initiative by Sheikha Jawaher bin Mohammed Al Qasimi aims to develop Arab women sports and improve their sporting skills and capabilities.
Sheikh Khalid bin Ahmed bin Sultan Al Qasimi, chairman of the higher organizing committee of the Tournament of Arab Women Sports Tournament said that the event, the first of its kind for women’s sporting clubs in the Arab world and recognized by the Union of Arab National Olympic Committees and the Arab League, is considered “an accomplishment for Emirati and Arab women, since organizing such sporting events is not a straightforward task in many societies.”
Ahmad Al Fardan, Secretary General of the Sharjah Sports Council; Osama Samra, Director of Sharjah Media Center also addressed the media.