The winners of ‘Sharjah Throwdown 2016,’ the first tournament of its type held in Sharjah, were honoured by the event’s OrganisingCommittee on Friday. Hosted at Al Majaz Waterfront, Sharjah’s premier lifestyle and leisure destination, the ‘CrossFit’ challenge event featured the participation of an elite group of professional and amateur athletes from 13 countries, with the competition attracting a large public turnout.Emirati athletes took the top positions in the ‘GCC Men’ category at Sharjah Throwdown 2016, with Omar Al Theeb coming in at first place, Ali Al Khajain second and Omar Al Khaja finishing third. In the ‘International Women’ category, Finnish Emilia Leppanentook the number one spot, while British athleteFern Carver came in at second place and her country compatriot Claire Crowley finished third. The ‘International Men’ category saw Nicolai Mainz from Denmarkthe winner, Bo Babenco from the US the first runner up and Danish Christopher Gammelgaardtaking third place.
A spirit of good natured rivalry and fair play imbued the proceedings at the one-day Sharjah Throwdown, which featured high-intensity CrossFit training. The discipline incorporates elements of Plyometrics, Olympic weightlifting, powerlifting, gymnastics, Girevoy Sport, calisthenics, strongman and other exercises. The event drew a significant audience of all ages who enthusiastically cheered on the competitors.Fifty-five male and female athletes competed in Sharjah Throwdown 2016, with the competitors going head-to-head in contests in consecutive challenges over three stages. Weightlifting was the first discipline, with the weights exceeding 70 kilograms. This was followed by other exercises and games, such as rope jumping, climbing and scaling wooden boxes.The top five placed athletes in each category went through to the following phases of the competition, which saw them compete against each other in weightlifting, endurance and gymnastic-inspired exercises. The tournament threw up a number of surprises that accompanied the challenges as the athletes exerted their efforts to win in their respective categories. To ensure accurate and impartial judging, the tournament employed a sophisticated electronic scoring system to help the adjudicators accurately determine the final results of the competition.
Speaking about the event, Mohammed Fadhel Al Mazroui, Manager of Al Majaz Waterfront and Head of the Sharjah Throwdown 2016 Organising Committee, said; "We are delighted with the success of the tournament in its first edition, which saw the participation of such a large number of professional and amateur athletes from around the world. The first ever CrossFit challenge in the UAE captivated the audience with its variety of challenges and the fantastic response to this inaugural event has already motivated us to expand and develop the championship for next year. We are aiming for the Sharjah Throwdownto be at the forefront of sports tournaments hosted in Sharjah and a major event on the UAE calendar that will attract residents, visitors and tourists of all nationalities.”At the close of the Sharjah Throwdown 2016, Al Mazroui and Mohammed Al Musharrakh, Director of the CrossFit Hour Gym in Sharjah, honoured the winners and presented them with their trophies and prizes amid public applause.Al Mazroui congratulated and thanked all the participating athletes, noting that the management of Al Majaz Waterfront is looking to attract larger numbers of enthusiasts and fans of CrossFit to strengthen Sharjah as a prominent destination and a major host of sports and entertainment events.
Omar Al Theeb, winner of the GCC Men's categorythanked the Organising Committee of the tournament and said; "Sharjah has made its name as a premium organiser of sporting and spectator events. With this tournament being held for the first time in the emirate, it will have a positive impact on the sporting landscape of the UAE and the greater GCC." Nicolai Mainz, the first place winner in the International Men's category, said: "All of the challenges in the first Sharjah Throwdown were very well selected and tough to compete in. Winning the title was certainly not easy for me."Mainz expressed his happiness with his accomplishment,which saw him clinch first place after the three arduous and tiring stages. He thanked the Organising Committee of the tournament that allowed athletes to participate in a contest characterised by fun and excitement.Emilia Leppanen, winner of the International Women's category, said that all the athletes,male and female,were close to each other in their sporting performances. She said that the competition between participants was both strong and professional and applauded the refereeing for being fairand neutral. Emilia expressed her delight at winning the International Women category title and thanked the emirate of Sharjah for hosting the high-end tournament.
In addition to rewarding the winning athletes, Sharjah Throwdown 2016 also featured a number of entertainment activities and competitions for the audiences, several of whom won valuable prizes, including air travel tickets given by Air Arabia.The AED 120 million Al Majaz Waterfront is a debut project from Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq). Opened in March, 2012 Al Majaz Waterfront is situated in Sharjah’s dynamic and commercial district on the picturesque Khalid Lagoon. As one of the premier tourist and leisure destinations in Sharjah, it plays host to all major events in the emirate.Al Majaz Waterfront houses many world-class restaurants and cafes, including: TGI Friday’s, Caribou Coffee, Pizzaro, Zahr El- Laymoun, Tim Hortons café, Cold Stone Creamery, fine dining Moroccan restaurant ElManzaand Shakespeare and Co., with all outlets overlookingthe breathtaking Sharjah Fountain. Al Majaz Waterfront is home to a Splash Park, Mini Golf, Play Area and ‘ALWAN,’ a unique activity centre exclusively designed for children to spend quality time with their parents or simply have fun.