3/14/11

UAE women win Excellence Shield

By Yasir Abbasher, Senior Reporter from Gulf News


  • A UAE player (in green) attempts to spike the ball as a Bahraini player tries to block it during the volleyball final at the GCC Women’s Games in Abu Dhabi. Image Credit: Abdel-Krim Kallouche/Gulf News
Abu Dhabi: The UAE won the Excellence Shield of the Second GCC Women's Games after winning the most medals in the 7 sports which were contested in the tournament with 12 gold, 6 silver and 9 bronze medals.
Bahrain came second with 8 gold, 8 silver and as many bronze followed by Qatar with 5 gold, 9 silver and 8 bronze, then Kuwait with 4 gold, 6 silver and 8 bronze while Oman finished fifth with one gold, one silver and 4 bronze.
The UAE teams dedicated the Excellence Shield to Her Highness Shaikha Fatima Bint Mubarak, the Supreme Chairperson of the UAE General Women's Union and the Patron of the Games, for her continuous support to the women in all fields of life in general and in the sports field in particular in a gesture of gratitude and thanks.
Noura Khalifa Al Suwaidi, the Chairperson of the local Organising Committee, expressed her pleasure with the achievement of the UAE teams in the Games and said, "This victory would not has been achieved if it wasn't for the continuous and unlimited support of Shaikha Fatima to the women not only in the UAE but in the GCC states as well as we have seen the improvement in the teams recently and since the first Games two years ago.
"We, organisers, officials and players, dedicate this victory to Shaikha Fatima in recognition of her support and encouragement and we promise that we will achieve more brilliant results in the future in all levels, regional, continental and international," she said.
The last day of the Games witnessed the end of the athletics competitions which were dominated by Bahrain with Mariam Al Ansari winning the long jump event registering 5.16 metres followed by Riam Allen Thomas from Qatar in second place with 5.16 metres and Nour Ebrahim from Bahrain with 5.11 metres.
Bahrain added the gold of the Discus with Basma Mohammad throw of 32.78 metres leaving the silver medal to Shahd Salah, from Kuwait, with 24.53 and the bronze to Buthaina Nabil from Qatar with 24.49.
Oman won their only gold medal in the Games when Shannona Al Hibsi finished first in the 200 metres race in 26.4 seconds followed by Noura Al Malki of Qatar, in second place in 26.6 seconds and Fatima Amr from Bahrain who came third in 27.7 seconds.
UAE's Alya Saeed won her second gold medal in athletics as she finished first in the 800 metres race in 2.15 minutes followed by Nada Nabil from Qatar in 2.34 and Shahd Jasem from the UAE in 2.43.
The competitions came to an end with the 4x400 metre relay which was won by Qatar in 52.3 seconds with Bahrain in second with 52.5 as the UAE won the bronze in 55.9 seconds.

Source: http://gulfnews.com/sport/other-sports/uae-women-win-excellence-shield-1.775395