• Fohood Zabeel, Zabeel 2 secure contrasting wins for volleyball showdown
• 11th edition of NAS Sports Tournament to conclude with volleyball final on Sunday

​DUBAI: Sharjah Self-Defence Club, Al Jawareh and National Guard swept the top honours in the Juniors, Community and Government categories respectively at the end of the Tug-of-War competition at the 11th Nad Al Sheba Sports Tournament that is scheduled to conclude at the Nad Al Sheba Sports Complex, on Sunday (March 31).

At the end of one week of tense and exciting competition, the Sharjah Self-Defence Club finished ahead of A2S and the Ahmed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum School in the Junior category, while Al Jawareh were the outright winners in the Community category leaving Al Hamriya Sports and Culture Club in second and The Falcons in third place.

Hassan Al Mazrouei, Director of Nad Al Sheba Sports Complex was joined by Saleh Al Marzouqi, Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Nadal Sheba Sports Tournament, Ali Omar, Vice Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Nadal Sheba Sports Tournament, Abdul Rahman Al Janahi, Director of the Train Campus Department at the Rail Corporation of the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), Mohammed Al Marri, Secretary General of the Emirates Body Building and Fitness Federation and Adel Al Bannai, Chairman of the Technical Committee of the Nadal Sheba Sports Tournament were all present at the prize-giving function at the end of the competition.

All-Zabeel volleyball final

Meanwhile, it will be an all-Zabeel final in the volleyball competition on Sunday after both teams secured contrasting wins in the semi-finals late on Friday.

Paul Puchegger outscored all with a tournament-high 26 points, while Jacobo Massari and Filippo Lanza lent crucial team support as Fohood Zabeel secured an entertaining and exciting 3-2 (16-25, 25-17, 25-23, 21-25, 15-12) win against Al Jawareh in the first semi-final.

Main performers for Al Jawareh were Ramon Jordi, Theo Favre with 16 points apiece, while Pavle Peric and Daniele Mazzone contributed 14 and ten points respectively as Al Jawareh squandered an early initiative having won the opening set.

With Puchegger combining well with Massari and Lanza at the net, it was tough catching up with a solid team effort put up by former champions Fohood Zabeel. Santiago Orduna of Fohood Zabeel who was on song with some fine serves and defence rightly walked away with the man of the match prize handed over to him by Dr Massimo Righi, President of the Serie A Righi Volleyball League.

In the second semi-final, Zabeel 2 had a cakewalk 3-0 win against The Emperor to book their rightful spot in Sunday's final.

Man of the match Maksim Sapozhkov topscored with 18 points to lead Zabeel 2, even as Tommaso Rinaldi and Valda Davyskiba chipped in with eleven and ten points, respectively. Luca Porro (11) and Tommaso Stefani (10) were standouts in The Emperor's losing cause.

Sheikh Hamdan backing

Launched and supported by His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of the Executive Council, the 11th Ramadan Sports Tournament will conclude with the volleyball final on March 31.

Held under the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman Dubai Sports Council, the largest sports tournament of its kind during the holy month of Ramadan at the NAS Sports Complex, is conducted under the slogan 'Limitless Capabilities.'

Organised under the auspices of the Dubai Sports Council (DSC), this year's sports fiesta had nine different sports disciplines, including Padel, Jiu-Jitsu, Fencing, Road Racing, Cycling and an Obstacle Challenge Race that have all been complete leaving just the Volleyball, Wheelchair Basketball and Tug-of-War competitions at the moment.

The 11th Ramadan Sports Tournament will conclude with the volleyball final that is scheduled to be held on Easter Sunday (March 31).

RESULTS

Tug-of-War: (Juniors) 1. Sharjah Self-Defence Club; 2. A2S; 3. Ahmed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum School. (Community) 1. Al Jawareh; 2. Al Hamriya Sports and Culture Club; 3. The Falcons. (Government Entities) 1. UAE National Guard; Land Forces; 3. Ministry of Defence.

Volleyball (Semi-finals): Fohood Zabeel beat Al Jawareh 3-2 (16-25, 25-17, 25-23, 21-25, 15-12); Zabeel 2 beat The Emperor 3-0 (25-22, 25-20, 25-15).