Fazza Championships Host First Para Archery Event in the United Arab Emirates

Para archers from Azerbaijan, Czech Republic, France, India, Iran, Iraq, Malaysia, Romania and UAE gathered in the UAE's capital on 21-25 January 2015 for the 1st Fazza International Para Archery Competition.

The inaugural edition of this event was hosted by the Dubai Club for the Disabled and Hamdan Bin Mohammed Heritage Center in cooperation with the General Authority for Youth and Sports Welfare, Dubai Sports Council and the UAE Paralympic Committee. It was held under the patronage of Shaikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of Dubai Sports Council, popularly known as 'Fazza'.

As part of the Fazza Championships calendar, the para archery competition aimed at promoting international camaraderie and competitiveness among disabled athletes. The 2015 calendar still includes four other international competitions to come: Athletics, Powerlifting, Boccia (Boules) and Wheelchair Basketball.

The organisers also held an unofficial team competition, mixing gender and nationality to introduce team event experience to some new athletes and support social interaction between all participants.

 

 

The official competition was officiated by international judge Dr Ahmed KOURA – also Secretary General of World Archery Africa – and five national judges. He praised the high level of organisation and expressed his appreciation for the organising committee including side activities for all participants and spectators provided by the Cultural & Social Department plus the professional media coverage.

“The Organising Committee has the ambition to organise a world ranking event gathering more athletes and countries and hosting a World Archery event in the near future,” Dr KOURA added.

Athletes from France, Iran and Iraq clinched gold medals as the first Fazza International Para Archery Competition 2015 that concluded in the evening of 25 January at the Dubai Club for the Disabled.

Worood AL MURSHID (IRQ) won the gold medal in the compound women's open category.

The compound men's open competition witnessed the impressive Frenchman Philippe HORNER going home with the gold, while his teammate Eric PEREIRA came second and Jiri KLICH (CZE) third.

In the recurve women's open category, Brigitte DUBOC (FRA) won gold, Zahra NEMATI (IRI) silver, and Aynur RUSTAMOVA (AZE) bronze.

Roham SHAHABIPOUR (IRI) clinched gold in the recurve men's open event, while Stéphane GILBERT (FRA) landed in silver spot and Rajesh DHOOPSINGH (IND) left with bronze.

 

People