Sports | Wednesday 16 September, 2015 2:00 pm |

The UAE National Karate Team came in 3rd after winning 3 more medals on the last day of the 4th Men and 2nd Women West Asian Karate Championship in Sharjah yesterday, taking their total up to 12.

The 2-day event was organized and hosted by the Sharjah Ladies Club (SLC)-Women Sports Department, in collaboration with the Taekwondo and Karate Federation and the General Authority of Sports and Youth Welfare, under the auspices of the West Asian Karate Federation (WAKF).

The 2015 WAKF championship saw the participation of 115 male and female players from teams from Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Qatar, Oman, Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, and the host country - the UAE.

The UAE national team finished 3rd after Iran and Jordan after clinching a total of 12 medals, receiving 3 gold, 5 silver and 4 bronze.

Iran, although receiving only 10 medals, managed to secure the tournament title by winning 7 gold, the largest number of medals achieved by any team. The winning team also took 2 silver and 1 bronze, while Jordan came in 2nd place with 12 medals: 3 gold, 6 silver and 3 bronze.

Saudi Arabia came 4th with 6 medals: 3 gold, 1 silver and 2 bronze, followed by Qatar in 5th place who won a silver and a bronze.

6th place saw Lebanon with 6 bronze medals, trailed by Iraq in 7th with 5 and finally Oman with 1 bronze medal.

Men’s Results:

Saudi Arabia’s men’s team took the team Kata title, surpassing Jordan, the UAE and Iran. The Saudi team came 1at after winning 6 medals (3 gold, 1 silver and 2 bronze) followed by Jordan with 6 (2 gold, 3 silver and 1 bronze). The UAE men’s team placed 3rd with 6 medals: 2 gold, 1 silver and 3 bronze.

Iran finished 4th with 5 medals (2 gold, 2 silver and 1 bronze) followed by Qatar in 5th place (1 silver and 1 gold), while Oman came 6th with 4 bronze medals and Iraq in 7th place with 1 bronze.

Women’s Results:

Iran’s women’s team finished first with 5 gold medals, followed closely by the UAE team in 2nd place with 5 medals: 1 gold, 3 silver and 2 bronze. Iraq came in the 4th with 5 bronze medals, followed by Lebanon in 5th place with 1 bronze.

The sports delegations left Sharjah yesterday on a happy note after the resounding success of the championship while the delegation heads praised SLC for the meticulously organized tournaments. They expressed their profound thanks and appreciation to Her Highness Sheikha Jawaher bint Mohammed Al Qasimi, Chairperson of the Sharjah Ladies Club, for her generous patronage of the championship at SLC's Women Sports Department, and for her immense efforts to ensure its success.

Dr. Ibrahim Mohammed Al Qannas, President of the WAKF and of the Saudi Arabian Karate Federation, said the championship was a great success throughout, as evidenced by the vast turnout and distinguished participation of West Asia's most prominent countries, upholding the event’s world-class reputation.

Al Qannas thanked the UAE Karate and Taekwondo Federation, represented by Major General Nasser Al Razooqi, Vice President of the World Karate Federation and Daiij Raeesy, Vice President of the Asian Karate Federation. He also extended his special thanks to SLC's Women Sports Department, the General Authority of Sports and Youth Welfare, and organizers and hosts of the championship. 

"The UAE is proud to be trusted with organizing such high caliber tournaments, stemming from its internationally acclaimed reputation and leading role in various fields, especially sports. Our nations have made great strides and have reached milestone achievements in numerous areas, together building a vivid example of the modern country - a goal sought after by all. We look forward to matching the success attained in organizing the 2013 WAKC, which was held in Dubai," Al Qannas said.

Major General Nasser Al Razooqi, President of the UAE Taekwondo and Karate Federation and Vice President of the World Karate Federation, praised the participating teams’ technical levels and accomplishments. He congratulated the winning teams, affirming that everyone is winner as there are no losers in this tournament, where the mere participation is a victory in itself, manifested in being present amidst elites of the best teams in West Asia.

"All thanks and credit should go to His Highness Dr Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, and Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Crown Prince and Deputy Ruler of Sharjah, for the significant support they provide sports, with a special emphasis on individual games," Al Razooqi said.

He also acknowledged the SLC's Women Sports Department and Sharjah Sports Council as key pillars on which the UAE Karate and Taekwondo Federation strongly depends, affirming the great role by the two prestigious organisations in supporting women's sports locally and internationally.

Ahmed Nasser Al Fardan, Secretary General of the Sharjah Sports Council, lauded the success the 2015 WAKC achieved, and the great accomplishments made by the UAE team by occupying the third place.

He highlighted the UAE men's and women's teams have benefited greatly from organizing and participating in the WAKF championship, which saw the participation of West Asia's top karate teams.

Al Fardan expressed his deepest thanks to His Highness Dr Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, for his immeasurable support for sports and allowing the opportunity for hosting such sporting events in the emirate of Sharjah. He also thanked Her Highness Sheikha Jawaher bint Mohammed Al Qasimi, Chairperson of the Sharjah Supreme Council for Family Affairs, for her unlimited support to advance women's support in the UAE in general, and the emirate of Sharjah in particular.

Nada Askar Al Naqbi, Director of the SLC's Women Sports Department, expressed her delight at the positive reaction from the delegations and praises received by the Sharjah Ladies Club, referring to the great role of Her Highness Sheikha Jawaher bint Mohammed Al Qasimi, Chairperson of the Sharjah Ladies Club, in making this championship a major success.

Nada Askar said: "We in the UAE, and specifically in the emirate of Sharjah, always strive to host premier sporting events, and are proud to welcome our friends from West Asian countries with whom we share the same geographical unity. We would like to affirm that the hosting of the 4th male and 2nd female karate championship is yet another testimony to the interest of our wise leadership and its unlimited support to advance all sporting activities, especially martial arts and fighting games represented in karate and taekwondo."

Al Naqbi expressed her gratitude to the Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq) and to its promotional brand for the moral support provided during the West Asian Karate Championships. Everyone had gathered around “Jerboa”, to take photographs in an atmosphere full of camaraderie and love.