Dubai: The eight young athletes who were rewarded for their performances jointly by the Dubai Sports Council (DSC) and the Ministry of Education have pledged to do even better in the future.
"This is a great opportunity for me to pursue my dream and become one of the best talents in tennis in the region to start with. And I am grateful to the Dubai Sports Council for helping me achieve my dream," the UAE's Davis Cup squad member Rashid Obaid Bushaqar Al Falasi told Gulf News.
"We always need sponsors to step forward and help the sport. But with the Dubai Sports Council stepping forward and helping us through this initiative, things are much better," he added.
Al Falasi, who has been consistent in his results as a junior, played in the UAE's promotion to Group IV of the Asia-Oceania zone Davis Cup earlier this year.
Besides, he also won two medals at the West Asian Tennis Championships held in Qatar and landed two more medals during the Arab Tennis Championships held in Egypt. "My passion is tennis and any help that comes is more than welcome," he added.
Al Falasi was one of eight young sportspersons who were feted by the DSC with UAE's Minister of Education Humaid Mohammad Al Qutami presenting the awards on Thursday.
Medal tally
The others who were recognised for their efforts last season were Al Falasi's teammate Fatma Abbas Al Janahi, Omar Mohammad Al Hammadi (swimming), Khalid Abdullah Al Daboos (swimming), Mubarak Salim Al Bushar (swimming), Hussain Mohammad Al Najjar (cycling), Mohammad Jamal Bu Falasi (taekwondo) and Khalifa Adnan Al Abbar (karate).
The young athletes between them have won 69 medals at the domestic level and another 32 medals and titles, including eight gold medals on the Gulf and international stage during the course of last season.
"It is great to be rewarded by the minister as it shows that my efforts are not going unnoticed," Fatma Abbas Al Janahi said.
"This award will goad me on to bigger things as I pursue a career in tennis," she added. "This initiative has helped me strive towards excellence," Mohammad Jamal Bu Falasi said. "I can only promise to do better in my chosen sport of taekwondo," he added.
Right encouragement
Mubarak Salim Al Busher, who bagged four medals including two golds at the Gulf Swimming Championships in Bahrain last month, promised this award will encourage him to strive for excellence. "It takes away a certain amount of pressure from me and I can compete better," Al Busher said.
The sportspersons were part of the DSC's Programme for Talent that was initiated in November 2008 with eleven sportspersons chosen. The idea behind the programme is to train a breed of athletes who will excel in individual Olympic disciplines in the future.
The programme revolves around five pillars that include the DSC, the families, the schools, the clubs and, finally, the sports associations. On its part, the DSC pays a monthly stipend to the athletes along with personal life insurance and participation at international events.
The 2004 Athens Olympics gold medallist Shaikh Ahmad Hasher Al Maktoum was also present to honour the athletes along with Ebrahim Abdul Malek, Secretary General, General Authority of Youth and Sports Welfare (GAYSW); Yousuf Al Sarkal, Secretary General, UAE National Olympic Committee (UAE NOC), and other top officials.
