Sheikha Madiya wins Emirati Amateur Women's title at NAS Cycling Championship
Sheikha Madiya Bint Hasher Bin Manaa Al Maktoum with other contestants at the start of the race.
Producing a dominant performance, Sheikha Madiya Bint Hasher Bin Manaa Al Maktoum took the Emirati Amateur Women's title at the Nad Al Sheba Cycling Championship on Saturday night.
Held under the patronage of Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of the Council Executive Director of the Emirate of Dubai, and organised by the Dubai Sports Council, the NAS Sports Tournament has been one of the top sporting attractions during the Holy Month of Ramadan since 2013.
Sheikha Madiya crossed the finish in one hour, 58 minutes and 36.89 seconds to edge past Farah Al Marri, who was close second, 0.6 seconds behind in 1:58:37.83, while Aisha Foolad came third in 1:58:38.42.
In the Emirati Amateur Men's category, Al Shafar Jumeirah Cycling team rider Salem Abdullah Al Shamli won first place after finishing the race in 1:39:24.83. He was followed by his team-mate Ahmed Al Balushi (1:39:24.84) and the Dubai Police team’s Abdullah Farhan (1:39:25.23).
In the Women’s Open category, Ukrainian Tetiana Yashchenko, who was representing the Dubai Police team, took the top spot with a time of 1:47:04.31. Kazakh Renata Sultanova from the Dubai Police team finished second in 1:47:04.69, and her team-mate Kazakh Akbil Osim, settled for third place with a time of 1:47:08.51.
In the Emirati amateur category (teams), the Al Shafar Jumeirah Cycling team took the top honours. Dubai Police finished second, while Trek M7 came in third.
The Al Shafar Jumeirah team also won the men’s open title on Saturday, and victory in the Emirati Amateur Women's category propelled them to the top spot in the standings.
The Dubai Municipality team topped the standings in their group of the wheelchair basketball championship with six points. With a 39-14 win over the Dubai Finance Department team, they have won all three matches they have played so far in the tournament.
Dubai Corporation for Ambulance Services are in second spot with five points after their 28-10 victory over Al Bustan Center and Residence team.
Al Thiqah Club for the Disabled are lying in the third spot with four points. They defeated the General Directorate of Residency and Foreign Affairs in Dubai, 38-14, in their last match.
Meanwhile, the UAE men’s and women’s teams have entered the final of the Gulf Padel Cup, a GCC Men’s Team Championship added to this year’s event for the first time.
Sheikh Saeed Bin Maktoum Bin Juma Al Maktoum, President of the UAE Padel Tennis Federation, also watched the matches.
In the men’s semi-final, the UAE defeated Bahrain 3-0. Faris Al Janahi and Hamad Al-Janahi began with a win over Youssef Qaid and Khaled Al Zawadi 7-6, 6-1. Omar Bahrozyan and Abdullah Ahli brushed aside Ali Abdullah Muhammad and Omar Muhammad 6-0, 6-3. Ahead of the third set, Bahrain pulled out, providing a smooth passage to the UAE in the final.
The UAE will lock horns with Qatar in the final. Qatar qualified for the final after beating Kuwait 3-0. Muhammad Abdullah and Abdulaziz Saadoun beat Ali Hayat and Daoud Hashem 6-2, 6-2, and feat matched by Muhammad Saadoun Al Kuwari and Abdullah Al-Hajji against Abdul Rahman Al Awadi and Najeeb Al Awadi 4-6, 6-3, before Jaber Al-Mutawa and Muhammad Al-Kanji downed Ahmed Al Rabie and Daoud Hashem 6-3, 6-1.
In the women’s semi-finals, the UAE edged past Kuwait 2-1, while Oman outlasted Saudi Arabia.
