The injury puts an end to the runner Al Nubi's participation in "Athletics" competitions.
The UAE beats Palestine at the "Wheelchair Basketball" kick-off match.
Fatima Al Balushi: I broke my record in a strong match, with further better results coming up.
The UAE Wheelchair Basketball team started its participation in the 15th Arab Games held in Algeria by beating Palestinian team 60 to 40 in the match held at the multi-purpose hall in Algeria, where this sport event has returned to it after 12 years of absence as a high-level Arab sports event, coinciding with Algeria's Independence Day.
The UAE team was better in terms of play and result thanks to the harmony among players throughout the four periods of the match, earning its first win and getting ready for its second match against the Libyan team before facing the host Algeria on Saturday, then concluding the preliminary round with a match against the Saudi team.
The tournament runs as a league system, with one round in the preliminary stage. The first team plays against the fourth, while the second team plays against the third in the semi-final round. Both winners play for the title in the final match; whereas the losers play for the third and fourth places.
UAE's Control
The UAE's team dominated the match, which was seen by Ihab Hassanein President of the Arab Federation for Sports of People with Disabilities in presence of other officials of the Games organizing Committee.
Ismail Al-Marzouqi administrator of the Wheelchair Basketball team stated: “The match was not easy at all against the Palestinian team, which managed to reduce the difference from 28 to 20 points. But our team won the match. The team played in absence of 9 main players who are participating in other events as permissible under the regulations, permitting a player to participate in two games.
Regarding the team’s preparations, he said: “The preparation for participation took place over three stages. The players participated in a preparation camp in Turkey, in addition to 3 tournaments: the Arab Championship in Kuwait, where the team earned fourth place. Also, the team participated in the qualifying tournament for the Asian Games in Thailand, noting that the team played in the absence of 9 main players, including the team’s top scorer Mansour Al-Naqbi, who is undergoing treatment, in addition to the absence of player Badr Abbas. These absent players were replaced by five young players: Jassim Al-Naqbi, Jamal Al-Badwawi, Abdullah Al-Ghafri, Muhammad Al-Madhani, Faisal Al-Hosani, and Abdulaziz Kamzari. Despite the significant absences, the ambition is still great in light of the presence of six key players, namely Tariq Al Yasi, Muhammad Al Zarouni, Ibrahim Salem Al Hammadi, Muhammad Al Habsi and Muhammad Al Hamid. The technical staff provides such young energetic players in the team, enhancing their capabilities."
5 Bronze Medals Won
The UAE has so far won 5 bronze medals: one medal by the men’s team which was achieved by Al-Shaali Hassan Al-Nuaimi in the walking competition for a distance of 20 km in 1:43 hours. The second medal was won by Women's athletics team by the player Fatima Al Hosani in discus throw achieving a distance of 43:53 meters, in addition to three bronzes won by the athletics team for people of determination (i.e. disabled players) namely: Sultan Al Shamsi in the Shot Put Competition achieving distance of 8.08 meters and a total of 485 points, Mohammed Khalifa Al Mazrouei in the 100m Wheelchair Competition with 729 points, and Rashid Al Zeyoudi In the Javelin Throw competition with 507 points. The (disabled players') medals are not counted in the overall medal table.
No New Medals
Day Four competitions did not add any new medals to the UAE, so that the medals ceiling was 5 bronze medals, with total participations as follows:
In swimming, the UAE team's swimmer Omar Al-Hammadi, aged about 30 years, the oldest swimmer in the championship, ranked sixth in the 200-meter mixed swimming competition, which witnessed strong and exciting sprints. Although Al-Hammadi did not reach the podium, he managed to improve his number, achieving 2:18 minutes with only one second behind his previous personal record of 2:19 minutes.
Salem Placed Fourth
Swimmer Salem Ghaleb ran the 100m butterfly swimming competition, which is his first race in the championship, and he finished it with a time of 56:52 seconds, ranking in fourth place. He ran the race with the champion of Algeria and the Arabs Jawad Saud, and the champion of Al Tadhamon Al Islami (Islamic Solidarity) Tournament Osama Al-Mellouli, who broke the record of the Tunisian Olympic champion.
Moaz Getting Better
Swimmer Moaz Fawzy participated in the 400m/hurdles competition, improving his record by achieving 55:26 seconds.
Achievement Made Despite Differences
Abdul Wahed Al Jasmi the administrator of the swimming team said that Omar Al Hammadi has made a good achievement, improving his number, taking into account the differences in levels between him and the other competitors, especially that such other competitors include classified champions. He further stated that such level differences between our swimmers and their competitors must be borne in minds, especially the classified swimmers. The results related to swimming contests achieved in the Arab Games are useful as a basis to build on for the future through the experiences gained by the swimmers thanks to their contesting elite Arab swimmers, including world-ranked champion swimmers.
Injuries-related Losses
Injuries affected the UAE athletics team runner Mohammed Al-Nubi, preventing him from completing his participation in the 200-meter race following his stumbling after the mid distance. He was taken to hospital accompanied by the medical staff. The veteran player finished his participation after the opportunity was ripe for him to compete for one of the medals. With this injury, Al-Nubi’s participation in the Arab Games came to end.
Accepting My Fate
The player said: "The injury is a fate, and I accept my fate, which has deprived me of the opportunity to complete the race and realize my ambition to make an achievement for my country in the largest Arab sports event. Certainly, I am proud of my participation in this wonderful Arab gathering."
The athletics competition concludes with Salem Al Balushi competing in the long jump competition. Fatima Al Hosani competes in the Shot Put competition, hoping to win a second medal after winning the bronze in the Discus Throw competition, in addition to the relay.
Fatima Al Balushi: I broke my record and benefited from the participation.
The women’s athletics team runner Fatima Al-Balushi said: “I benefited from participating, as I ran the 200-meter race and broke the country’s record registered in my name and my new number is 26:55 seconds, while the old one was 26:96 seconds. In sports there is no loser. So, on the personal level I feel happy that I ran a new experience with female swimmers who are older than me. And in general, playing against such players is necessary for me to continue developing my level in order to achieve the best in my future endeavors.
Women's Volleyball Team Beats Qatar's Team
Our women's national volleyball team achieved a massive victory over the Qatari team, with a score of three sets nil in the Arab Games in Algeria. The sets ended 25-11, 25-15, 25-12.
The women's volleyball team played very well in the second match as part of the championship games held in the Harshah Hassan Hall in the Algerian capital, in presence of His Excellency Youssef Saif Saba Al Ali the UAE's ambassador to Algeria, His Excellency Sultan bin Mejren member of the Executive Office of Union of Arab National Committees head of the UAE's delegation participating in the Arab Games, and Ahmed Al-Tayeb director of delegation. Our team will take a one-day rest before resuming their matches with a difficult clash against Tunisia.
With high spirits following the brilliant start match in the tournament, our national team (disabled people) will play their third match against the Algerian team in the chair basketball competition.
Chess Team
Our chess team will play important matches in men's and women's teams championships that will be held in Constantine City. Tomorrow, Saturday, the third, fourth and fifth rounds will be held. The men's team which includes Salem Abdul Rahman, Omar Noman, Abdul Rahman Al-Taher, Othman Musa and Ammar Al-Sidrani will play the teams of Iraq, Mauritania and Syria. Including Kholoud Issa Al Zarouni, Rawda Issa Al Serkal, Wafia Darwish Al Maamari, Ahlam Rashid, Anoud Issa, the women's team will play the teams of Syria, Algeria and Palestine.
The national Modern Sailing team arrived in Algeria, starting its participation in the Games by sailing competitions in the Mediterranean Sea on the shores of the capital, Algiers, near the Marina El Sablat Park. The participating team includes 10 players led by world champion Adel Khaled, his colleague Saif Al Zaabi, Khalifa Al Rumaithi, Majid Al Ali, Muhammad Ibrahim Al Zaabi and Majid Al Marzouqi, while the female players include Duha Muhammad Al Beshr, Marwa Al Hammadi, Mediya Al Neyadi and Camilla Khalifa Al Qubaisi.
BOXING AND BADMINTON
Our national badminton team continues the challenges at the Arab Games, with tomorrow (Saturday) quarter-final matches will be held for men's singles, women's singles and mixed doubles.
Our national boxing team is playing its first challenges in the tournament in the matches of the final round in the men's competitions in the military center hall, Ben Aknoun, where our player Nawaf Ali Al-Zahmi will play Palestine's player in the 57-kg weight competition, while boxer Hussein Al-Shamar has a difficult confrontation against his Algerian counterpart in the weight of 70 kg.
Our national jockey team left the Arab Games after the participation of the young four players Khaled Walid who participated in under-66 kg competitions, Saeed Al Naqbi under 73 kg and Khalifa Al Hosani in under-81 kg competitions, in addition to Mansour Abdul Rahman in over 100 kg competitions, who competed at the end of our participation for the bronze medal.
The UAE's ambassador and Ben Mejren meet the UAE's delegation
His Excellency Youssef Saif Saba Al Ali the UAE's ambassador to Algeria, and His Excellency Sultan bin Mejren member of the Executive Office of the Union of Arab National Committees and head of the country's delegation participating in the Arab Games visited our national teams delegation in their residence in the Athletes' Village. Their Excellency expressed their wishes of success and good luck for the UAE male and female players in this great Arab Sports Event.
The visit is part of morale support, ensuring the excellent conditions of our delegation participating in the Games in Algeria and motivating the male and female players participating in the event, as the UAE has been keen to be present in the 15th edition by participating in 15 different games.
The visit left a great impact motivating the players who attended the meeting, as well as the technical and administrative staff of the various national teams participating in the Arab Games.
His Excellency Youssef Saif Saba Al Ali stated that the UAE Embassy in Algeria is keen to provide support and all capabilities to ensure the success of the participation of UAE nationals in the sports games, stressing the need for excellent sports representation in the event that brings together many Arab teams in various sports games and competitions.
His Excellency Sultan bin Mejren also hailed the efforts of the players in the past period, which witnessed the achievement of 5 medals in the first days of the tournament for the UAE. He added that there is great confidence in our national teams earning more medals in the Arab tournament. He called on the players to present the best levels and to show excellent determination and efforts to win the challenge in the Arab Games.
Our players, male and female, expressed their happiness with this visit, which served as a motive for them towards achieving such great achievements for the UAE, as everyone stressed that they would do their best with their rock-solid determination and persistence for winning and making the UAE people happy with such wins.
Kholoud Al Zarouni: An Administrator and Player In The Chess Team
Kholoud Al Zarooni accompanied our national chess team as an administrator in the Arab Games. However, she joined the women's team with the aim of successfully participating in the teams championship as the team need that.
Kholoud Al Zarooni expressed her pride in participating in the Arab Games in Algeria with the players from the Arab world, and said that each tournament has special challenges and decided to participate with the women's team in the competition after the need arose to take this step despite the long time away from the game. She wished them success to win gold medals along with other tournaments in the singles category in which our national chess team is participating.
Al Zarouni thanked and appreciated the National Olympic Committee for good coordination with the Emirates Chess Federation in order to ensure the success of the UAE participation, which includes promising players for a better future of the game.