Sheikh Mohammed Bin Hamad Bin Mohammed Al Sharqi, Crown Prince of Fujairah, attended the competitions at fifth edition of the Arab Taekwondo Cup Championship being held at the Zayed Sports Complex in Fujairah.
Sheikh Mohammed crowned the Olympic champions who won medals at the Paris Games and secured gold in the Arab Cup.
Those who were honoured included Tunisia’s Firas Katoussi, who won gold medal in the men’s -80kg at the Paris 2024 Olympics, and Jordan’s Zaid Karim.
Last year, Karim won a silver medal after putting up a stirring effort in the Olympic -68kg taekwondo final against Uzbekistan’s defending champion and number one seed Ulugbek Rashitov.
The Crown Prince of Fujairah emphasized Emirates’ leading global position in hosting and organizing sports tournaments, highlighting the support and guidance of His Highness Sheikh Hamad Bin Mohammed Al Sharqi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Fujairah, in advancing and enhancing the competitiveness of the sports sector to align with the UAE’s vision in this field.
He praised the high technical and administrative standards of the championship and its objectives, which attract athletes from across the Arab world to compete in Fujairah and achieve outstanding results that contribute to the development of the sports sector at the national, regional, and international levels.
The Crown Prince of Fujairah also honored the heads of Arab federations, led by Idriss Hilali, Executive Board Member of the International Taekwondo Federation and President of the Arab Taekwondo Federation, along with several distinguished guests of the championship.
More than 1,534 athletes from different Arab countries are taking part in fifth edition of the Arab Cup.
Dr. Chungwon Choue, President of the International Taekwondo Federation, Dr Ahmed Hamdan Al Zeyoudi, President of the UAE Taekwondo Federation, Nader Abu Shawish, Director of the Fujairah Martial Arts Club, and presidents of other Arab federations also attended the championship.
Taekwondo events in Fujairah paves path for Grand Slam Youth League glory , says Abu Shawish: Nader Abu Shawish, Director of the Fujairah Martial Arts Club and the Arab Cup and Fujairah International Taekwondo Championships, described the consecutive organisation of taekwondo tournaments as a major breakthrough in developing the sport in the UAE and Arab countries.
He highlighted that these tournaments provided extensive competitive opportunities for athletes, allowing them to face international and Olympic-level opponents, especially benefiting the UAE national team players.
Abu Shawish stated: “These championships have successfully identified outstanding talents, including Ahmed Khamis from the Fujairah Martial Arts Club, who won the first Arab gold medal at the Wuxi 2024 World Taekwondo Grand Slam Youth League held in China.
Additionally, other UAE players have secured international medals, reflecting the achievement of key objectives.”
Following the conclusion of the Arab Cup, the Fujairah Martial Arts Club will host the 12th edition of the Fujairah International Taekwondo Championship starting on February 9 and will conclude on February 13.
This year’s edition will see its largest participation ever, with 2,628 male and female athletes in the fray.
He added: “The Fujairah Martial Arts Club has organized four previous editions of the Arab Cup, and the current one is the fifth, while the Fujairah International Taekwondo Championship will be in its 12th edition.
“In all these tournaments, international athletes have participated, bringing immense technical benefits. These events have significantly expanded the culture of practicing taekwondo and paved the way for athletes to compete in major international tournaments as their skills developed.”
Abu Shawish concluded by announcing that Fujairah will host the 2025 World Juniors Taekwondo Championships in May, marking a major achievement that underscores sustainability in sports and supports the Taekwondo Federation’s plans for the sport’s growth.
Meanwhile, the organizing committee of the Arab and Fujairah Open Taekwondo Championships has announced the implementation of the latest technologies in refereeing and scoring by collaborating with KPNP.
This marks the first time these advanced protective gear are used in the Arab world and in Fujairah International Championship.
This collaboration is expected to enhance excitement in the competitions by introducing a cutting-edge scoring system, considered the most advanced globally. The technology was previously tested at the Paris Olympics.
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