Sharjah, Bahrain right on target for archery gold

SHARJAH — Sharjah Sports Club’s Sumaiya Al Mansouri stormed to victory to take the individual archery gold medal after defeating Al Bahrain’s Sarah Marzouq with a score of 6-4 at the Arab Women’s Sports Tournament 2018 (AWST) here.

The club’s Noura Haroun rounded off a great day for Sharjah ladies with a bronze after winning the play off competition for third place, putting them top of the event’s medals table. It was a podium finish for Sharjah in the team event as well, as they took silver after being edged out by the in-form Al Bahrain Club 5-4. The bronze medal went to Al Ain Club team, featuring sisters Alia and Ghalia Al Beloushi and Duha Ahmad Al Shamisi.

Jordan’s Mo’atah Club continued its winning-streak towards a place on the podium after reaching the semifinals with a 3-2 win against a defiant Bahrain Club in the table tennis event.

The fixture was a game of catch-up from the start for Bahrain as the Jordanians went ahead in the first match and Bahrain chased back to level in the second. The Mo’atah Club again moved forward in the third match and Bahrain again caught up in the fourth. And in a classic climax, the final game eventually went to the Jordanians, but only after a tie-break which finished 14-12 which left Mo’atah delighted and Bahrain despondent.

Sadly for Sharjah Sports Club for women, it looks as though their bid for the title is over having been beaten by 3-0 by Kuwait’s Al Fatat Club, although the games were much closer than the scoreline would suggest.

Jordan’s Al Fuhays Club have cemented their spot at the top of the basketball table following a huge 36-point win over KSA’s Jeddah United. The fourth round of the competition was a showpiece for the Jordanians who notched up a 96-60 win, continuing on their ruthless march to a place in the finals.

For Bahrain’s Al Mawaheb — who are still undefeated in the event — it proved much more of a challenge against Al Fatat although they made sure of their second place with a victory of 76-66. But they are not alone... sharing the position with Egypt’s Sporting Club, Kuwait’s Al Fatat and Jeddah United. With the top two places going through to the final, the crowds are guaranteed some thrillers as all three vie for the chance to get gold.

Add into the mix Sharjah Sports Club, the hosts and champions of AWST’s last edition, who are currently ranked third with a game in hand, and AWST’s basketball event could be one of the closest fought.

Although the Al Mawaheb Club may not have lost a game so far, Kuwait’s Al Fatat showed them that there is no room for complacency, winning the second and third periods and entering the final quarter with a four-point lead. If the Al Fatat attack had kept up its momentum, Bahrain would have been staring their first defeat in the face but their defense was almost impenetrable and they continue with a clean sheet.

In one of the most tense days so far in the volleyball event, Oman’s Sahar Club won a desperately close-fought match against Kuwait’s Al Fatat with a score of 3-1, although the difference over all four games was just five points.

Sahar proved just a little too much for the Kuwaitis to handle in the first game, winning 25-22 but the scores were leveled in the second as Al Fatat answered the call with a vengeance — and a more convincing 25-18 margin. To their credit, instead of lowering their spirits Sahar lifted their game as they eased past the Kuwait club with a score of 25-18. Sahar took the final game 26-24 for the win.

In the second match of the day, the UAE’s Al Wasl took on Morocco’s El Difaa Al Hassani in what proved to be a mouth-watering tie. The Moroccans went down by 25-20 in the first and won 25-18 in the second game. Al Wasl steamed ahead in the third, 25-13, and cooly won the fourth. — SG