The Dubai Police General Command and the Roads and Transport Authority qualified for the semi-finals of the wheelchair basketball championship as part of the Nad Al Sheba Sports Tournament, currently underway at the Dubai Club for People of Determination here.

The teams made it to the last four stage after Dubai Police team topped the first group with six points defeating the Al Bustan Center and Residence team 40-11, while the Roads and Transport Authority defeated Dubai Municipality 34-21, raising its score to six points to take the top spot in the second group.

Meanwhile, the Dubai Ambulance Team succeeded in defeating the Community Development Team 30-8, and is in second place in the ranking of the second group, and is close to qualifying for the golden square, while Dubai Electricity and Water pipped Dubai Courts in a thrilling match with a score 24-22. 

Part of the competition was attended by Her Excellency Hessa bint Essa Buhumaid, Nabil Ashour, Chairman of the UAE Handball Federation, Huraiz al-Murr bin Huraiz, Executive Director of the Development and Social Care Sector at the Community Development Authority in Dubai, Thani Juma Berregad, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Dubai Club for People of Determination, Mohammed Abdul Karim Julfar, Vice President of the Club, and Majid Al Usaimi, Executive Director of the Club.

Her Excellency Hessa bint Essa Buhumaid, Minister of State and Director General of the Community Development Authority in Dubai, praised the Dubai Club for People of Determination Ramadan Festival, stressing that it exceeded expectations with the increase in the number of participants in the current edition and the diversity of its activities.

Her Excellency was also impressed with the first Gulf participation of several competitors in the Dubai Holy Quran Competition for People of Determination, especially that the festival has been targeting all categories of "People of Determination", which had a positive impact on its various activities.

This came during Buhumaid's inspection tour of the festival's sports, cultural and community activities, which began with watching the wheelchair basketball tournament within the Nad Al Sheba sports tournament hosted by the club. Her Excellency met with several the club's champions and was briefed on the various initiatives of "People of Determination".

This was followed by her visit to the Ramadan Council, which continued to attract parents, and which includes many activities, most notably discovering the talents of people of determination, theatrical performances, and daily competitions.

She also appreciated the keenness of parents of "people of determination" and families to follow the activities of the festival that included a lot of activities in this holy month, expressing her happiness to be herself present in this Ramadan festival. Responsibility has doubled: Berregad

For his part, Thani Juma Berregad, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Dubai Club for People of Determination, described the visit as “fruitful and positive” which highlighted the communication between officials and society and its institutions. “The visit pleased the "people of determination" and their parents, which had a great impact on their souls considering the attention they receive from the wise leadership to continue the process of giving in all aspects of life.

Berregad pointed out that Her Excellency’s words double the responsibility of everyone to consolidate such gains and leave fingerprints of success.

For his part, Majid Al-Usaimi, Executive Director of the Dubai Club for People of Determination, expressed his happiness at the visit of Her Excellency and her interest in the details of the club's various activities, which benefit all categories of "people of determination" and their families.

Al-Usaimi also revealed that there is a joint work between the Community Development Authority and the Dubai Club for People of Determination to convert all efforts made to achieve comprehensive integration of people of determination into society through a sports portal. 

Paralympic star Mohammed Khamis Khalaf led the hosts UAE to the bronze medal in the Men’s Team event as the curtains fell on the Fazza 12th Para Powerlifting World Cup here on Sunday.

Khalaf, who combined with Adel Shanbih and Fahad Mohammad, lifted 215kg in his final lift to help UAE beat Saudi Arabia in the bronze medal play-off.

On top, Colombia took the gold medal beating Chile.

“It was a good tournament. I am happy to help my team win a Team medal. In this tournament, I achieved my target and I hope to return stronger at the World Championships,” said Khalaf who also took a bronze medal in the individual Elite category in men’s up to 97 kg with a lift of 220kg.

In the other events, Jordan led by Paralympic star Abdelkareem Khattab defeated Colombia in the Mixed Team event.

Brazil, spearheaded by Tokyo 2020 winner Mariana D’Andrea, claimed the gold medal in the Women’s Team event beating Colombia, while Chile took the third place.

Overall, Brazil finished on top of medals table with 12 medals including six gold, followed by Iran and Jordan with five and four gold medals, respectively.

UAE ended in the 11th position with five medals including one silver.

Around 200 lifters from 40 nations competed in the final World Para Powerlifting World Cup of the season with Paralympic and World stars in the star-studded line-up.

The individual events offered important rankings in the qualification pathway to the Paris 2022 Paralympic Games.

The Dubai 2022 World Cup was also a rehearsal of the World Championships, which is due to be held in Dubai in August 2023.

Promising Ayesha Almutaiwei claimed two bronze medals for the hosts UAE as the individual competition at the Fazza 12th Dubai 2022 Para Powerlifting World Cup ended here.

Almutaiwei managed a lift of 66kg to end in the third place in the Best Lift category behind Brazil’s Marcia Cristina Menezes (116kg) and Korea’s Sunjeong Choe (103kg).

In the Total Lift category, the UAE player totalled 126 kg to also finish third behind the Korean and Brazilian.

The 16-year-old, however, took the gold medal in the Rookie Best and Total category owing to her effort.

At the end of the individual events, Brazil topped the medals table in Elite category with 11 medals including five gold, followed by Iran and Jordan with five and three gold medals, respectively.

UAE ended in the 11th position with four medals including one silver.

Otherwise, it was Iran who dominated the evening session at the Dubai Club for People of Determination on Saturday.

Gharibshahi betters own record

In the men’s up to 107 kg, Iranian Aliakbar Gharibshahi produced a powerful show to set a new world record en route winning the gold medal.

Gharibshahi lifted 254kg in his final lift to better his own record by one kg. In the effort, he also shocked Tokyo 2020 Paralympic champion Sodnompiljee Enkhbayar from Mongolia who managed 250kg.

Meanwhile, Iranian lifters claimed the one-two position in the men’s over 107 kg event.    

While Ahmad Aminzadeh lifted 265 kg for the gold medal in Best Lift and Total Category (772), fellow lifter Mahdi Sayadi managed 238 kg for the second place.

Around 200 lifters from 40 nations competed in the final World Para Powerlifting World Cup of the season with Paralympic and World stars in the star-studded line-up.

The event, which ended on Sunday, offered important world ranking in the qualification pathway to the Paris 2022 Paralympic Games.

Jordan’s Abdelkareem Mohmmad Khattab delivered what he promised, breaking the world record three times to make it a Super Saturday for his fans on his way to win the gold medal in men's up to 97 kg event on the penultimate day of the Fazza 12th Dubai 2022 Para Powerlifting World Cup here.

Khattab, the Paralympic and reigning world champion, looked confident and started his campaign at 235 kg before going for world record attempt 245 kg in his second round, only to succeed at the Dubai Club for People of Determination venue.

Khattab went six kilograms up in his third round, breaking the world record again at 251 kg and then at 255 kg to display an incredible showing of powerlifting in Dubai.

The Jordan star, who has the world record in men’s up to 88 kg to his name at 250 kg, broke the men’s -97kg record held by Mohamed Eldib of Egypt since 2016.

“I have been training for the last 10 years to get this result. It’s my first world record in this age category and I am very proud of it. I hope I can continue with such performance in the Paralympics as well and put my country on top,” said Khattab who has already indicated of bettering his record at the World Championships set to be held in Dubai next August.

Columbia’s Fabio Torres took the silver at 225kg, while UAE’s Mohammed Khamis Khalaf settled for the bronze with his best lift of 220kg. He, however, took home the one gold and a silver in the Legend category, another silver in the Total Lift (646) apart from the bronze medal.

“I am happy with the result. I have reached the target for the year. I will be back stronger next year,” said Khalaf hoping to be better at the Worlds.

Fahad Mohammed added another medal in UAE’s tally taking the bronze in Total category with a total lift of 509 kg.

Alnaqbi clinches gold

Earlier, UAE’s Haifa Alnaqbi took the gold in Total Lift category of women’s up to 67 kg. Alnaqbi, who had a best lift of 94 kg to end sixth in Best Lift category, totalled 269 kg for the gold medal.

“I am happy to get a gold at my home country. It was a proud moment for my family as well. I hope I can do better next year and secure a medal in other category as well,” said Alnaqbi who had a gold medal in IWAS 2022 World Games.

Around 200 lifters from 40 nations are competing in the final World Para Powerlifting World Cup of the season with Paralympic and World stars in the star-studded line-up in the four-day competition.

The event, that runs until Sunday (18 December), offers important world ranking points in the qualification pathway to the Paris 2022 Paralympic Games.

Hosts United Arab Emirates opened their account at the Fazza 12th Para Powerlifting World Cup with four medals, including a gold, thanks to the efforts of Adel Shanbih and Mozah Alzeyoudi at their home venue - Dubai Club for People of Determination.

Shanbih produced a strong show clearing the bar all three attempts and settled for the bronze with 188kg in Best Lift category in men’s -88kg. Algeria’s Mohammed Hadj Ali took the gold medal with a powerful lift of 200 kg.

In the Total Lift, the Dubai Club trainee Shanbih totalled 554 to take the gold making the hosts proud of his show.

Later, Alzeyoudi added to UAE’s tally with two silver medals in the women’s up to 55kg, thanks to her 80 kg Best lift and Total lift of 231 kg.

The day also saw a few records with Kyrgyzstan’s Azizbek Zamirbek Uluu setting a new world record with his 128 kg lift in men’s up to 54kg, while Chile’s Juan Carlos Garrido Acevedo getting a new Americas record in men’s up to 65kg with his final lift of 191kg.

Meanwhile, Iranian lifters ruled second day’s show winning three gold thanks to Amir Jafari Arangeh (men’s up to 65kg) and Mohsen Bakhtiar (men’s up to 59kg) produced powerful shows.

Around 200 lifters from 40 nations are competing in the final World Para Powerlifting World Cup of the season with Paralympic and World stars in the star-studded line-up in the four-day competition.

The event, that runs until Sunday (18 December), offers important ranking in the qualification pathway to the Paris 2022.