Fazza Dubai Para Badminton: Al Bedwawi seeks more net gains for UAE at home after historic feat
6 May 2025 21:58
KUUMAR SHYAM (ABU DHABI )Fresh after creating history for the nation, Emirati para shuttler Jamal Al Bedwawi is leading a hopeful hosts' contingent at the sixth Fazza Dubai Para Badminton International, which kicked off at the Shabab Al Ahli club on Tuesday. Thrilling action is expected over the next few days as 150 shuttlers from 30 nations will be in action at the championships that run until May 11.Al Bedwawi is coming on the back of clinching UAE's first-ever international medal in para badminton with a bronze medal in the Czech Republic last month. A trainee at the Dubai Club for People of Determination, Al Bedwawi is hoping to continue the same momentum at home, where he will be competing in all three events – men's singles WH1, men's doubles WH1-WH2 and mixed doubles WH1-WH2.If a dollop of extra motivation was needed, Al Bedwawi has that too, as he features in a sleek promotional video made by the organisers for the tournament, in which Al Bedwawi plays a few shots on an airstrip in Dubai before undertaking a skydiving adventure. The hopes of the 26-year-old will be sky high, who understands the spotlight will be on him and has a responsibility to win a medal for the nation. Al Bedwawi, who has been playing the sport for the past three years and has also participated at the Hangzhou 2022 Asian Para Games, said, 'I'm more confident now – I feel I am responsible to win a gold medal for the nation.'For the Emirati, who sustained a spinal cord injury and damaged nerve following an accident in 2012, badminton means 'freedom, power to achieve his long-cherished goals.'My personal goals will be to improve my world ranking and more medals winning show,' added the ever-smiling player, who is also a key member of the UAE national wheelchair basketball team.He will be joined by his training partners Siham Al Rasheedy (women's singles WH2) and event debutant Omair Mohammed (men's singles WH1) – both of whom will be pairing up with Al Bedwawi for the mixed doubles and men's doubles event.The UAE team will also have a representative in the men's SU5 category with Sinan Asif set to compete in three events.The UAE team has been coached by Aditya Singh for the last two years, with long-term goals set on the Los Angeles 2028 Paralympics. 'The team is gelling well and making rapid improvements. Playing more international events will help the players grow mentally and physically,' said Singh.Top para shuttlers in the world, including Paralympic and Asian Para Games stars, will be taking part. Malaysia's Paris 2024 Games champion Cheah Liek Hou (SU5) will lead the star-studded field, which will also include Paralympic and Asian Para Games medallists from South Korea, India and Hong Kong, among others.South Korea will be spearheaded by seasoned wheelchair shuttlers and Paris 2024 silver medallist Choi Jungman (men's WH1) and Kim Jungjun (men's WH2), a bronze medallist in Paris. Meanwhile, India has the largest contingent of 28 members and will bank on their Tokyo 2020 Paralympic champion Krishna Nagar (men's SH6) and Asian Para Games medallist Sukant Kadam (men's SL4), Mandeep Kaur (women's SL3), among others.
For Hong Kong, Hangzhou 2022 Asian Para Games gold medallist Chu Man Kai returns to the Emirate of Dubai for the sixth time.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Al Etihad
16 hours ago
- Al Etihad
FIFA World Cup qualifier: UAE draw fails to stop Uzbekistan seal historic entry to Finals
6 June 2025 00:32 KUUMAR SHYAM (ABU DHABI)The eve of Eid Al Adha did not bring the sweets the UAE desired in a 0-0 result in Abu Dhabi against Uzbekistan in a crucial match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup Asian qualifying stage on Thursday. Needing a point to secure one of two automatic berths from Group A to the Finals in United States, Mexico and Canada, the second-placed Uzbekistan got what they needed after more than 90 minutes of action against the third-placed UAE at Al Wahda's Al Nahyan Cosmin Olaroiu's men hoped their rivals, also an Islam-dominated nation, would succumb to butterflies in their stomachs ahead of a historic first entry to the Finals stage, it did not UAE will now have to head to the next stage of qualifying where chances get slimmer. In anticipation of the difficult road, and manager Olaroiu having been parachuted into this game as a late replacement for Paulo Bento, the UAE fans unfurled huge banners of support which read: 'Dreams Will Come True' and 'We Trust You Guys'.For the strategists, UAE could have started aggressively or played a cautious hand at first. They seemed to have gone for the latter, even when there was early trouble for Uzbekistan when Farrukh Safyiev experienced groin or hamstring problems. He tried to come back but on his first touch again experienced discomfort and had to be replaced with Abbosbek Fayzullaev. In a dull first half, UAE showed more flair but not the finishing skills to boot. Seeing their hesitation or struggles, Uzbekistan made couple of forays, but the defenders and goalkeeper Khalid Eissa proved to alert through the match. If any indication was needed about the intent, the UAE started with a wing formation of 4-2-3-1 while Uzbekistan organised themselves in a diamond pattern with 3-4-2-1 making moves from the middle of the pitch scarce to come the breather, there was an immediate show of intent from the UAE with Caio Canedo attempting a weak shot and hoping to find the goalkeeper wrong-footed, in vain. Soon after, Uzbekistan had a counter threat saved by the crossbar. If the pace of the first 10 minutes raised hopes of a momentum shift, it proved to be a false past the hour mark, Olaroiu swaps out Ali Saleh with Yahya Al Ghassani, who came with many sprinting bursts but his colleagues were not in sync with him. And then, expectedly, Uzbekistan players started time-wasting tactics and cramping up to break the flow of the game. Uzbekistan got the draw they wanted, with a game to spare, however scrappy the point came. Meanwhile, the UAE play Kyrgyzstan next in their final group game, the away game mostly to stay firm in third or fourth place. Olariou and his men will now need to start also gearing up for the next round of play-offs where the middle teams of three groups will churn to get two teams into the funnel. The UAE remain in hope, that dreams will come true.
Gulf Today
17 hours ago
- Gulf Today
Oscar Pistorius competes in triathlon 12 years after murdering girlfriend
South African former Paralympic star Oscar Pistorius was spotted taking part in a triathlon last weekend in the coastal city of Durban, 12 years after murdering his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp in a crime that drew worldwide attention. Pistorius, 38, was freed from jail in January 2024 after completing more than half his sentence and is on parole until his sentence expires in 2029. Singabakho Nxumalo, spokesperson for South Africa's Department of Correctional Services, said Pistorius had approval to attend the race, the Ironman 70.3 Durban. "There was no breach in terms of his parole conditions," Nxumalo said. Afrikaans-language news website Netwerk24 first reported Pistorius' participation in the event on Wednesday. Conrad Dormehl, an attorney for Pistorius, confirmed to Reuters that Pistorius had featured in the Durban race. "This forms part of his rehabilitation into society. Whilst he particularly enjoyed participating in the event and seems to have been bitten by the bug that is triathlon sport, he isn't eyeing any comeback into competitive running just yet," he said. Pistorius — dubbed "Blade Runner" for his carbon-fibre prosthetic legs - shot dead 29-year-old model Steenkamp through a locked bathroom door on Valentine's Day in 2013. He repeatedly said he mistook Steenkamp for an intruder and launched multiple appeals against his conviction on that basis. His release on parole after about eight and a half years in jail, as well as seven months under house arrest, provoked a raw response in a country scarred by violence against women. Netwerk24 published a photograph of Pistorius riding a bicycle with the race number 105, his distinctive tattoo and prosthetic legs visible. Reuters contacted the photographer who gave the news agency permission to publish images similar to the one Netwerk24 used. Results published online by sports-timing company SportSplits show an athlete called Oscar Leonard Carl Pistorius with race number 105 came 555th among all participants in the Ironman race and third in the "physically challenged" category. The course involved a 2-km swim, a 90-km bike ride and a 21-km run - a total distance of 70.3 miles. Pistorius was once a darling of the sports world, and a pioneering voice for disabled athletes, for whom he campaigned to be allowed to compete with able-bodied participants at major sports events. He won six gold medals over three Paralympic Games in Athens, Beijing and London, and competed in able-bodied races at the London 2012 Olympics. Reuters
Sharjah 24
19 hours ago
- Sharjah 24
Dibba Al Hisn celebrates Dibba Club's ADNOC League promotion
Spirit of brotherhood between clubs The visit reflects the spirit of unity and cooperation between UAE sports clubs. Ahmed Saeed Al Dhanhani, Chairman of Dibba Club's Board of Directors, received the delegation at the club's headquarters in the presence of several board members. Words of congratulations from Dibba Al Hisn The delegation was led by Dr. Mohammed Ahmed Al Mutawa Al Hindasi, Chairman of Dibba Al Hisn Club's Board of Directors. He offered warm congratulations to Dibba Club's management, describing the promotion as the result of collaborative efforts by the club's leadership, staff, and players. He added that the achievement is a source of pride for all clubs in the region and contributes positively to Emirati sports. Strengthening cooperation and shared development Ahmed Saeed Al Dhanhani welcomed the gesture and emphasized the importance of such visits in fostering strong relationships between clubs. He highlighted how these interactions encourage knowledge exchange and cooperation, supporting development at both sporting and institutional levels. Tour of Dibba Club facilities During the visit, the delegation toured Dibba Stadium's modern facilities, where they observed the club's advancements in infrastructure, technical capabilities, and professionalism. The delegation praised the impressive progress made by Dibba Club. Promoting ongoing collaboration At the conclusion of the visit, Al Dhanhani expressed his gratitude for the kind gesture, describing the initiative as a model for promoting mutual respect and collaboration between sports institutions. He also underscored the importance of maintaining such ties to support the national goals of sports development.
