Members of the Emperor team celebrate after receiving the trophy from Sheikh Mansoor.

Gulf Today, Staff Reporter

Sheikh Mansoor Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of the Dubai Sports Council, crowned the Emperor team, the winner of the Volleyball Championship at the Nad Al Sheba Sports Tournament 2022.

Held under the patronage of Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of the Executive Council of Dubai, and organised by the Dubai Sports Council, the NAS Sports Tournament has been one of the top sporting events held during the Holy Month of Ramadan since 2013.

Sheikh Mansoor graced the final day of the largest sports tournament of its kind in the country.

Held annually, the Nad Al Sheba Sports Tournament this year featured competitions in eight different sporting disciplines, including volleyball, padel tennis, wheelchair basketball, running, cycling, archery, Spartan Nas Night Race, and jiu-jitsu. The event, which started on April 2, ran for 17 days.

Sheikh Mansoor congratulated the Emperor team on winning the volleyball title at the tournament.

He also praised Al Jawareh, who finished as runners-up in the contest that saw a high level of competition and high-octane matches. The Tournament saw leading players joining amateurs and professionals to battle for top honours in various sporting disciplines.

The Chairman of the Dubai Sports Council said: "The Nad Al Sheba Sports Tournament continues to achieve the sporting and social goals set by Sheikh Hamdan.

In line with the vision of Sheikh Hamdan, Dubai Sports Council strives to ensure that the participation remains open to everyone, from amateurs to professionals of various age groups and nationalities, providing opportunities for everyone.

"The NAS Sports Tournament reflects the priority Dubai places on promoting community engagement and building strong social bonds through sports. Dubai Sports Council’s efforts enabled more than 5,000 amateur and professional athletes to participate in the ninth edition of the NAS Sports Tournament.

“The large attendance of sports lovers and their strong engagement with the players helped foster high levels of competition. While the event featured intense sporting contests, we believe everyone who participated in the Tournament is a winner," Sheikh Mansoor added.

Sheikha Shamsa Bint Hasher Al Maktoum, Awad Saghir Al Ketbi, Director General of the Dubai Health Authority, Lieutenant General Mohammed Al Marri, Director General of Dubai's General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs, and a number of sports and government officials attended the tournament's final day.

Sheikh Mansoor also honoured the sponsors in the presence of Saeed Hareb, Secretary-General of the Dubai Sports Council and Chairman of the Organising Committee for the session.

Sponsors whose representatives were honoured included Dubai Municipality, Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority, Dubai Duty Free, Dubai Police, Dubai Health Authority, Dubai Corporation for Ambulance Services, Dubai Sports (Dubai Media Incorporated), Versace Hotel, Al Tayer Motors, Al Tadawi Medical Centre, Nakheel - Meydan, Emirates Foundation (Takatuf), Sport for All Network, Dubai Refreshments, and Tecnotree.

Sheikh Mansoor honoured the international referees of the match, including Ismail Ibrahim, Muhammad Al Dawla, and Ali Hamid.

He also honoured the players who won individual titles. Those who received the awards included Majid Khamis Al Mazmi from the Fohood Zabeel team, who won the title of best Emirati player, and Lislon Costa from the Al Jawareh team, who won the award for best defender.

Fohood Zabeel’s Arseny Sarli was adjudged as the best hitter, while David Saita of the Emperor team was named the best setter. Seyed Mousavi of the Emperor team received the award for the best blocker. The Emperor team’s Branamir Karsimirov was named the best all-around player in the tournament.

The Emperor team won the final of the volleyball event, beating Al Jaraweh 3-0 (25-22, 25-20, 25-15). The volleyball competition witnessed the participation of 150 players from 20 different nationalities.

The final match brought the curtains down on the ninth edition of the Nad Al Sheba Sports Tournament 2022.