Al Balushi wins the first Emirati medal in the World Fencing Cup
SAN JOSE, 14th February, 2017 (WAM) – Emirati champion Faris Al Balushi achieved a historic achievement for the sport of fencing in the country, by winning the bronze medal in the World Junior Fencing Championship, which was held in Costa Rica on the 12th and 13th of February, with the participation of 15 countries and 37 players in the individual competitions.
This is the first achievement of its kind for the UAE in the World Cup for fencing at the junior level, and reflects the development witnessed by Emirati fencing and its presence on the international scene.
Fares Al Balushi, a player for the UAE national team and the Fujairah Martial Arts Club, gave a strong performance throughout his journey in the tournament, and succeeded in reaching the final rounds with merit before clinching the bronze medal.
Al-Balushi began his campaign in the qualifying rounds by defeating a Puerto Rican player in the round of 32 with a score of 15-8, then he defeated his Egyptian competitor in the round of 16 with a score of 8-7, before achieving a remarkable victory over the Mexican player ranked fourth in the world in the quarter-finals with a score of 15-13, to reach the semi-finals, where he lost to the Guatemalan champion with a score of 10-15, to win the bronze medal.
His Excellency Engineer Sheikh Salem bin Sultan Al Qasimi, President of the Asian and Emirati Fencing Federations, expressed his happiness with this achievement, stressing that it embodies the amount of support that Emirati sports enjoy from the wise leadership, and reflects the amount of investment in preparing and nurturing sports talents capable of representing the country and raising its flag in international forums.
He thanked His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad bin Mohammed Al Sharqi, Crown Prince of Fujairah, for his continued support of fencing and preparing a talented sports generation.
He praised the player’s determination and determination, pointing out that this medal came as a result of great work and joint efforts between the federation and the supporting bodies, in addition to the positive role of the Fujairah Martial Arts Club in supporting its players to serve the national teams.
He stressed that this coronation is an incentive to continue developing the talent base in fencing, expressing his appreciation to the Ministry of Sports and the National Olympic Committee for their continued support.
- For more: Follow Khaleejion 24 Arabic, Khaleejion 24 English, Khaleejion 24 Live, and for social media follow us on Facebook and Twitter
