Sports | Thursday 28 December, 2017 3:11 pm |

The athletes of the Sharjah Women’s Sports Foundation (SWSF) who have exhibited exceptional sportswomanship by bringing home several wins at regional and international tournaments this year were honoured an annual gathering organised by SWSF on Wednesday, December 27.

 

Hosted at SWSF’s gymnasium, the event was attended by HE Nada Askar Al Naqbi, Director General of SWSF, female athletes of the clubs, administrative, technical and training bodies, and the Foundation’s staff, and marked the conclusion of a rewarding season for SWSF.   

 

200 female athletes in a variety of sports including fencing, karate, shooting, volleyball, basketball, table tennis and show jumping were honoured in recognition of their outstanding achievements throughout the season. Veteran players, employees, coaches, and members of SWSF support staff were also felicitated.

 

Recognising the pivotal role played by Sharjah’s leadership in advancing women in sports, Al Naqbi said: “I would like to extend my deepest appreciation to Her Highness Sheikha Jawaher bint Mohammed Al Qasimi, wife of His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah, Chairperson of the Supreme Council for Family Affairs and Chairperson of SWSF, for her kind gesture of dedicating an annual ceremony to celebrate the achievements of our players, and encouraging them to make bigger strides for themselves and  our beloved country next year.

 

“Her Highness Sheikha Jawaher’s unremitting support to women’s sports a global example, and has been instrumental in driving women to establish themselves strongly in the local, regional and international sporting arenas.”

 

“SWSF will continue its tremendous efforts, to organise and host more regional and international tournaments next season,” Al Naqbi remarked highlighting that these were central to SWSF’s strategy of improving women in sports in the UAE, particularly in Sharjah.   

 

“Today, we are honouring an impressive galaxy of women’s champions – the member players of SWSF’s sports clubs – who are working towards establishing themselves strongly in the global sporting arena. With Sheikha Jawaher’s support, we will spare no effort to advance the status of our players. We vow that we will continue to work hard and carry forward the noble mission entrusted to us for the advancement of women's sports by organising holistic tournaments involving women’s sports clubs in the Asian continent, and other competitions for the rest of the world,” she said.

 

Mariam Al Mansouri, a veteran volleyball player who was honoured during the event, lauded Sheikha Jawaher’s generous patronage of SWSF and sportswomen in general. “The nurturing environment provided by SWSF presents us with valuable opportunities to train, develop our strengths and work on our weaknesses, which has been instrumental in improving our performance at regional and international competitions,” she said.

 

 Amal Haidar, a basketball player at the SWSF club, said: “An achievement is not a coincidence, but a result of diligence, determination and ambition that a sportsperson needs to be empowered with to be able to climb the ladder of success. SWSF has given us more than we have asked. Behind everything we do stands their inspiring environment and strong support, which are critical to our success at every level.”

 

SWSF was established in 2016 under an Emiri decree from His Highness Dr. Sheikh Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah. Since its inception, the foundation has promoted Emirati sportswomen in sporting forums and has worked dedicatedly to developing their capacity to compete in regional and international events. It strives to establish a modern integrated system that paves the way for the creation of a female-friendly climate in compliance with the latest international practices related to women’s sports.