Syrian sportswomen are intensifying training in preparationto compete in the categories of volleyball and karate in the fifth edition of the Arab Women Sports Tournament (AWST) 2020, the largest pan-Arab sporting event dedicated to women in the region.Organised by Sharjah Women’s Sport (SWS) from February 2 – 12, 2020, AWST is held under the patronage of Her Highness Sheikha Jawaher bint Mohammed Al Qasimi, wife of His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah, Chairperson of SWS.It is widely anticipated that the talented team of Syrian sportswomen will clinch one of the top three spots at AWST this year. They will compete in volleyball against clubs from the UAE, Jordan, Kuwait, Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, KSA and Tunisia.In karate, Syrian sportswomen will face their counterparts from the UAE, KSA, Bahrain, Kuwait, Jordan, Algeria, Egypt, Libya and Palestine. HE Nada Askar Al Naqbi, Deputy Head of AWST’s Supreme Organising Committee, Head of its Executive Committee, and Director General of SWS, said: “AWST this year will bring together some of the biggest and most competitive challenges for women athletes across the Arab world. The growing interest from Arab women sports clubs is fuelled by the tournament’s leading position as the regional platform for women athletes who have skills, abilities and performances that grow their professional ranks and help them achieve their ambitions of taking part in global sports tournaments”.Al Naqbi, Director General of SWS, added: “The underlying goal of AWST is to convene Arab athletes on an international competition platform to enhance fraternal relations between delegates from the different nations, and to showcase the region’s sporting spirit to the world.This is based on our firm belief that women sports is part of every nation’s success and growth across cultural, social, economic and political factors.”The fifth edition of AWST 2020 will see the participation of 16 Arab countries across nine sports:shooting, basketball, volleyball, table tennis, athletics, show jumping, fencing, archery and karate.
About the Arab Women Sports Tournament
Held under the patronage of Her Highness Sheikha Jawaher bint Mohammed Al Qasimi, Wife of His Highness Ruler of Sharjah and Chairperson of the Sharjah Women Sports (SWS), the Arab Women Sports Tournament (AWST), is organised by the Sharjah Women Sports (SWS) in partnership with the UAE Sports Council, Sharjah Sports Council and the Union of Arab National Olympic Committees.Launched in 2012, the bi-yearly Olympics-themed women sports tournament, hosts a number of women's sports clubs from more than 15 Arab nations to compete across 9 sports: Karate, Basketball, Volleyball, Fencing, Show Jumping, Shooting, Archery, Athletics and Table Tennis.In 2018, AWST hosted 67 women sports clubs from 16 Arab nations who competed across 9 games, and received media coverage from more than 380 outlets across the Arab region. The fifth edition of the tournament, which is scheduled to kick-start on February 2 - 12, 2020, will play a major role in building on the 5-year success of the AWST brand, and support the growth and development of the regional sports industry and women sports initiatives.