Running, Jiu-Jitsu winners feted on second day of inaugural Kalba Sports Festival

 Under the patronage of Sheikh Abdullah Bin Salem Bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Deputy Ruler of Sharjah, the second day of the inaugural Kalba Sports Festival witnessed intense competition across a range of sporting events, attracting participants and sports enthusiasts.

Sheikh Dr Khalid Bin Humaid Al Qasimi, Chairman of the Sharjah Sports Council, honoured the winners of the Kalba Sports Festival Running Race during a ceremony attended by senior officials and sports representatives.

Among those present were Dr Saif Ahmed Al Zaabi, Board Member and Chairman of the Organising Committee; Engineer Adel Saleh Al Hammadi, Board Member; and Rashid Saeed Bin Farish Al Kindi, Chairman of Kalba Sports and Cultural Club.

The celebrations also recognised the winners of the Jiu-Jitsu competition, highlighting the talent and competitive spirit demonstrated by athletes throughout the festival.

The winners of the Kalba Sports Festival running race were honoured across three distances: 10km, 5km and 1.5km.

In the 10km race, the UAE Nationals men's category saw Khalid Khalil take first place, followed by Suhail Mohammed in second and Ahmed Al Badour in third. In the women's category, Kulthoum Al Mazmi claimed first place, followed by Kulthoum Al Shamsi and Mouza Saif. In the open men's category, Taha Adam secured the top spot, with Fouad Ezz finishing second and Najib Akeej third. Nawal Girto won the open women's category, followed by Simhal Jibro in second and Wafa Al Mass in third.

In the 5km race, Hamoud Al Zaoudi claimed first place in the UAE Nationals men's category, followed by Abdullah Suroor and Ali Boshwan. Among the UAE Nationals women, Sara Salman secured first place, with Mouza Al Muhairi finishing second and Mahra Jassim third. In the open men's category, Dagen Tesfay took the top position, followed by Salem Mainga and Julius Kesar. Jess Toy won the open women's category, while Bedila finished second and Arti Jana third.

In the 1.5km children's race, Humaid Al Hammadi secured first place in the boys' category, followed by Mayed Salem in second and Salem Mohammed in third. In the girls' category, Sriba Siva claimed first place, with Ibtisam Al Shehhi finishing second and Shifa Al Sabri third.

Festival Director Abdulrahman Al Darmaki honoured the winners of the Jiu-Jitsu competition across various weight categories. The men's competition featured the 94kg, 77kg and 62kg divisions, while the youth categories included 73kg, 60kg and 50kg. The junior category featured the 46kg, 38kg and 30kg divisions.

In the football competition, Ajax played out a 3-3 draw against Sharjah Police General Command in Group C, while Al Ittihad secured a 5-2 victory over November in Group D.

In the community volleyball competition, the Teachers Association team defeated UAEX 3-0, while MIH secured a 3-1 victory over Al Badawi Al Zahmi.

The second day also witnessed the continuation of the padel tennis qualifying rounds, as teams competed for places in the final stages of the tournament.

The festival also featured a range of interactive activities, including the daily car-pulling and push-up challenges.

The main stage hosted entertaining performances for children, which attracted considerable interest from spectators. In addition, a lecture titled "The Key to Health, Fitness and Quality of Life" was delivered, alongside a musical performance presented by the Sharjah Police Academy.

Qualifying rounds in several other sporting disciplines continued, adding to the excitement of the multi-sport event.

Organised by the Sharjah Sports Council, the inaugural Kalba Sports Festival aims to promote sports participation, encourage athletic talent and strengthen the sporting culture across the emirate.

The second day's events further underlined the festival's role in bringing together athletes and the wider community through sport.