The fencing team from Sharjah Sports Club for Women clinched the gold medal in the foil finals of the Arab Women Sports Tournament 2018 (AWST), dedicating the win to Her Highness Sheikha Jawaher bint Mohammed Al Qasimi, wife of His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah and Chairperson of Sharjah Women’s Sports Foundation (SWSF), saying their achievement would not have been possible without her constant support.Taking silver in the event, Bahrain’s Al Hala Club beat the Emirati Bani Yas Club and the KSA team, who shared bronze.The fencing competition at the fourth – and largest – edition of AWST was a close run affair with the Arab women showing outstanding skill and their ability to compete on a world stage.Emphasising the point, the Egyptian Sporting Club displayed superb confidence and competence which earned them the gold in the team epee competition, with Sharjah Sports Club for Women securing silver in another classic team effort.Running until February 12under the patronage ofHer Highness Sheikha Jawaher,the tournament features more than 1,000 athletes and admin personnel from 68 clubs representing 16 countries.
The winners of the fencing competitions were awarded their medals and trophies by Sheikh Salem bin Sultan bin Saqr Al Qasimi, Founder and Chairman of the UAE Fencing Federation, Sheikh Saud bin Abdul Aziz Al Mualla, Board Chairman of Sharjah Cultural Chess Club, and Sheikha Hayat bint Abdulaziz Al Khalifa, Chairperson of AWST’s Follow-up and Supervision Committee.Also present were Princess Haifa Bint Mohammed Bin Saud Al Saud, Director General of the Saudi General Sports Authority, Ibrahim Abdul Malik, Secretary General of the GeneralAuthorityfor Youth and Sports Welfare, Khalid Al Midfa, Assistant SecretaryGeneralof the Authority, and Nada Askar Al Naqbi, Deputy Head of AWST's Supreme Organising Committee, Head of its Executive Committee and Director General of SWSF.Khalid Al Midfalauded the achievement made by the Sharjah players, saying there are a source of pride to the Emirate of Sharjah. He added that the Arab Women Sports Tournament serves as a mini-Olympicsthat brings together talented Arab sportswomenand gives them the opportunity to gain the experience needed to compete in international tournaments.