Sharjah 24: Sheikh Mansoor bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of the Dubai Sports Council, attended the closing ceremony of the inaugural edition of the School Games held at the Dubai Exhibition Centre (DEC) in Expo City Dubai.
The event was held under the patronage of Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Second Deputy Ruler of Dubai and President of the UAE National Olympic Committee.
The UAE School and Sports Federation organised the event in partnership with the General Authority of Sports (GAS) besides various sports federations and federal and local authorities. Sponsored by Etisalat E& as the gold sponsor, the tournament featured 2,500 students from 350 schools across the country competing for top honours.
Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed commended the success of the first edition of the Games, and the promising performance of budding athletes. He emphasised that building a world-class sports system starts with schools, where young talents are identified, nurtured, and encouraged to realise their full potential.
Sheikh Ahmed said that the School Games also help in supporting the Olympic movement by helping discover and support promising talent early, aligning perfectly with the National Olympic Committee's goal of fostering a sustainable sports model for global success.
The closing ceremony was also attended by Dr. Ahmad Belhoul Al Falasi, Minister of Education, Chairman of the General Authority of Sports, and President of the UAE School and University Sports Federation, alongside a number of senior officials. He honoured 772 male and female students who took the top three places across various categories. In all 1,840 students competed for podium places.
In a multi-sport format designed for students aged 13 to 17, the School Games were organised across three levels, beginning with specialised training programmes customised for students taking an interest in various sporting disciplines. Following on from this, regional competitions are held in each emirate, which ultimately culminate in national-level competitions where participants compete at the highest level.
The Games provide a platform to promote the active involvement of school students across the UAE in sporting pursuits from an early age and represents a concerted effort involving the UAE School and University Sports Federation, educational institutions, and various other sports bodies. Operating under the oversight of the General Authority of Sports, the aim is to boost wider participation in sports, foster the development of budding Emirati athletes, and strengthen the nation’s presence on the sporting stage at the regional, continental, and global levels.
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