Sharjah24: The Arab Women Sports Tournament (AWST 2024) has successfully concluded the seventh edition, setting new benchmarks for excellence and showcasing the significant strides in the development of women's sports in the Arab World. This prestigious event brought together 15 Arab nations, represented by 63 clubs competing in 8 sports. The impressive medal tally from the 12-day event serves as a testament to the growing prowess and Olympic aspirations of Arab sportswomen.
UAE athletes were among the standout performers, securing a remarkable total of 24 medals, which included 10 gold, 8 silver, and 6 bronze. They clinched 7 medals in karate (4 gold, 2 silver, 1 bronze) and 9 in fencing (4 gold, 3 silver, 2 bronze), in addition to securing 6 medals in archery, distributed equally between gold, silver, and bronze. Moreover, they achieved a silver in athletics and a bronze in volleyball.
Bahraini athletes also made headlines with their dominant performance, claiming 23 medals across eight sports disciplines. Track and field athletes were the most successful, securing 14 medals, comprising 9 gold and 5 silver, in addition to a gold and a silver in table tennis, two gold in shooting, and a gold and a bronze in archery. They also won a silver in volleyball and a bronze each in basketball and fencing.
Egypt demonstrated its prowess in volleyball unmistakably, with the Sporting Club clinching the championship title through a clean sweep in the finals against Kuwait's Salwa Alsabah Club, who bagged the silver, while Sharjah Women's Sports Club proudly took home the bronze.
In basketball, Jordan emerged victorious, with Al-Fuhais club defeating Syria's Al-Thawra club 72-50 in the final, leaving the Syrian champion with the silver and Bahrain's Al-Ahli club taking the bronze.
The fencing championship saw Emirati athletes excel, securing 9 medals. UAE fencers clinched three gold in Épée, Foil, and Sabre, with an additional bronze in the latter. In the individual competitions, Emirati fencers secured gold and silver medals in Sabre, silver in Épée, and silver and bronze in Foil.
In archery, the UAE secured the largest haul with 6 medals, distributed equally between gold, silver, and bronze, followed by Saudi Arabia with gold and silver, Bahrain with gold and bronze, and Kuwait with bronze.
The shooting tournament was dominated by Bahrain, with notable victories in the 10m air pistol and 10m air rifle. Bahraini shooters secured the gold medal in the 10m air pistol, Kuwait bagged the silver, and Oman clinched the bronze. In the 10m air rifle, the silver went to Qatari shooters, and the bronze to Kuwait.
In table tennis, Egypt won 4 medals (1 gold, 2 silver, 1 bronze), while Bahrain secured a gold and silver. Syrian athletes took home a gold and bronze, and Jordan and Kuwait each claimed a bronze.
In Karate’s Kumite and Kata competitions, the UAE led with 7 medals (4 gold, 2 silver, 1 bronze) on the country level. Among clubs, the Syrian club Nasib topped the ranking with 8 medals (2 gold, 1 silver, 5 bronze), followed by Sharjah's UAE club with 4 medals (2 gold, 1 silver, 1 bronze), and Dubai’s Al-Ahli in third place with 3 medals (2 gold, 1 silver). The Kuwaiti Al Fatat secured fourth place with a total of 5 medals (1 gold, 2 silver, and 2 bronze). Iraq's Peshmerga Club came in fifth with 4 medals (1 silver and 3 bronze). Following in sixth place was the Libyan Al-Ittihad with a tally of one silver medal. The Saudi Al-Ittihad Club achieved seventh place with 3 bronze medals, and in eighth place was the Yemeni Balqis Club with one bronze medal.
Bahraini sportswomen dominated the athletics tournament with a total of 14 medals, consisting of 9 gold and 5 silver medals. Egypt secured the second place with 9 coloured medals, including 3 gold, 2 silver, and 4 bronze. Iraq came in third with a total of 14 medals, made up of 2 gold, 6 silver, and 6 bronze. Lebanon ranked fourth with 2 gold medals, followed by Libya with one gold medal. Oman garnered 2 silver medals and one bronze, the UAE won a silver medal, Kuwait achieved 3 bronze medals, and both Syria and Jordan each obtained one bronze medal.