Junior golfers shine for UAE at World School Championship
ABU DHABI (ALETIHAD)Students representing the UAE School and University Sports Federation participated in the inaugural World School Golf Championship and finished fourth among 16 countries in a praiseworthy feat. Held under the supervision of the International School Sport Federation, the competition took place from July 14 to 21 at Royal Golf Dar Es Salam in Rabat, Morocco. The delegation was headed by Sheikh Suhail bin Butti Al Maktoum, Assistant Undersecretary for the Sports Development and Competitiveness Sector at the Ministry of Sports and President of the School and University Sports Federation. The team comprised four players competing across two junior age categories, two in the Under-15 category and two in the Under 18-Category.
The young players performed impressively for the UAE in their debut appearance, with Alexander Dimitri winning a silver medal in the Under-15 category and Aasiya Saleem securing the other silver medal in the Under-18 category. The UAE's participation was aimed at reinforcing the presence of the national teams at international level and promoting golf as a key sport across schools in the country, in collaboration with the Emirates Golf Federation.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Al Etihad
3 days ago
- Al Etihad
ILT20 auction after Asia Cup chance for UAE players to shine
1 Aug 2025 00:29 KUUMAR SHYAM (ABU DHABI )The DP World International League T20 (ILT20) is set to introduce a player auction after three years of private team building by the six participating franchises, and rings in feelings of hope and excitement, especially for players from UAE and Associate cricket countries. Speaking to Aletihad , an ILT20 official has said the auction could herald a significant shift in how teams will build their squads, especially as the September 30 auction will follow soon after the September 9-28 Asia Cup, which UAE is hosting as a neutral venue. The first ILT20 auction will allow the franchises to fill 78 squad spots – 13 per team – with a collective purse of $4.8 million. This marks the first time the ILT20 will move to an auction model, a transition that Mike Fordham, the league's Head of Cricket Operations, said was part of a long-term strategy. Similar to the Indian Premier League, teams were first given the choice to retain players of choice before putting names in the mix for all to bid and White, the DP World ILT20 Chief Executive Officer, said, 'The auction is a big milestone for the league as we continue to grow as a world-class T20 tournament. The auction will be a great opportunity for our franchises to add local and international firepower.' Echoing the view of White, the Head of Cricket Operations, Mike Fordham, spoke to Aletihad on the significance of the auction and the pivot in strategy. 'It was always intended we'd have a three-year cycle with the ILT20,' Fordham explained. 'Most players were initially on three-year contracts, so this was a natural time to try something different. We wanted to open up the league to new players and make it less of a closed shop, and we think an auction is the best way to do that.'Associate nations like the UAE and Hong Kong are part of the six-nation 2025 Asia Cup, which India was to host, while the ILT20 rules mandate a minimum of two UAE players and two more from Associate countries. That means ILT20 still needs seven international players in the squad and hence carries the most global year's edition begins early on December 2, coinciding with Eid Al Etihad, and ends on January 4, coinciding as always in a busy stretch on the cricketing calendar. The auction makes it more pertinent, said Fordham.'It's an exciting way for the teams to build their squads and gives fans something to follow closely. Depending on who registers, we could see some aggressive bidding, particularly for players who perform well in the Asia Cup, including those from the UAE,' he said. The player registration window for the auction has now opened and will close on September 10. For the UAE players, the Development Tournament, which feeds the ILT20 and begins this month, is another opportunity now besides the Asia Cup to strike notice of their talent.
Al Etihad
4 days ago
- Al Etihad
Football: U-23 squad starts training in Spain
31 July 2025 01:02 ABU DHABI (ALETIHAD)The national Under-23 Olympic football team started their overseas training camp in the Spanish city of San Pedro on UAE is preparing for the qualifiers to the U-23 Asian Championship, which will be held in Abu Dhabi from September 3 to 9. As hosts, the UAE are drawn into a group which includes Iran, Hong Kong, and camp, prepared by the technical staff led by coach Marcelo Broli, includes daily training sessions in the morning and evening, as well as friendly matches against European clubs, with the aim of raising fitness levels and enhancing cohesion among the players. The squad of 26 players at the camp: Khaled Tawhid, Saeed Al Muqaddami, Ali Al Saffar, Mubarak bin Zama, Mansour Al Menhali, Yousef Al Marzouqi, Khamis Al Mansouri, Fahad Jassim, Ahmed Malallah, Zayed Khamis, Jamal Khalifa, Hazza Shehab, Ali Abdulaziz, Solomon Soso, Dhari Fahad, Mohammed Al Wafi, Hazem Abbas, Matar Zaal, Ahmed Raed, Mohammed Al Hammadi, Ghaith Abdullah, Maid Al Kass, Mohammed Juma, Ali Al Maamari, Mansour Saeed, and Issa Khalfan. Source: Aletihad - Abu Dhabi
Al Etihad
5 days ago
- Al Etihad
New team grappling event Quintet comes to UAE
30 July 2025 00:38 ABU DHABI (ALETIHAD)A bold new chapter in combat sports is unfolding in the Middle East with the announcement that the pioneering Japanese martial arts promotion Quintet will be making its regional debut in event, titled Quintet 5, is scheduled to take place on October 23, marking the first time this unique team-based grappling format will be showcased in the Gulf, and outside of Japan and United States in its short announcement was made during a news conference at Yas Island in Abu Dhabi, held as part of the UAE's Showdown Week – a premier sporting initiative that regularly draws top-tier mixed martial arts (MMA) talent and organisations from around the on the occasion were Kazushi Sakuraba, the Quintet founder and one of MMA pioneers from Japan, and Tarek Suleiman, a seasoned martial artist who will be spearheading the brand's expansion across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) as regional a veteran of Pride Fighting Championships and widely considered one of the most influential grapplers in MMA history, spoke passionately about the decision to bring his promotion to the UAE. 'For Japanese martial artists, Abu Dhabi is a name we've always held in high regard,' he said.'We watched from afar how the UAE embraced jiu-jitsu and elevated it into something bigger than just a sport – a cultural and national movement. To launch Quintet here is not only symbolic, but meaningful. The people understand the art. The government supports it. And the athletes here live it.'Quintet is distinct from traditional MMA or Brazilian jiu-jitsu (BJJ) competitions. First launched in 2018, the promotion is known for its 'winner-stays-on' format, in which five-member teams compete in elimination-style grappling individual bout ends either in a submission or a draw – there are no judges and no points system. If a competitor wins by submission, they remain on the mat to face the next opponent from the opposing team. If the match ends in a draw, both competitors are eliminated. The format encourages tactical team decisions, creative grappling, and cohesive strategy – all while staying rooted in the respect-driven philosophy of martial arts.'This isn't just a one-off. We're here to build something lasting,' said Suleiman, who himself has competed under the Quintet rule set. 'The UAE has become a global destination for combat sports, and now it will be the home for team-based grappling in the region. Through Quintet, we aim to provide athletes with a new platform – one that prioritises cooperation, strategy, and team pride.'The event also drew the attention of major international MMA figures, including Ali Al Qaisi, widely regarded as the Arab world's top featherweight, and Marc Goddard, one of the sport's most respected referees. Their presence underscored the increasing convergence between mainstream MMA and submission-only grappling formats.A busy two weeks of MMA in the UAE has seen the IMMAF Youth World Championships, a dual UAE Warriors card, the UFC Fight Night being held while the World Grappling Championship is upcoming in Al Ain from August 5 will feature teams from across the Middle East and North Africa, with organisers confirming that both regional standouts and international athletes will participate. According to Suleiman, the Dubai event is part of a wider strategy aimed at developing a sustainable league system and athlete pipeline tailored to the region's unique combat sports culture. This initiative aligns with broader ambitions by UAE sporting authorities to nurture homegrown talent and elevate martial arts as a pillar of national fitness, discipline, and international recognition. Source: Aletihad - Abu Dhabi
