By Sleiman Redha
DUBAI, Feb 5 (KUNA) -- Kuwaiti women shooters won rifles and 10m air pistols' competitions, held as part of the Third Arab Women Sports Tournament in Sharjah Emirate.
The Kuwaiti team also came first in the 10m rifles' category and second in individuals' category of the same competition, with Mariam Rezzouqi making the winning scores. Meanwhile, the Kuwaiti pistol team came third.
Duaij Al-Otaibi, Chairman of Kuwait Shooting Club, said in a statement to KUNA that the Kuwaiti female shooters succeeded in reaching finals in rifle and pistol groups, despite fierce competition. The players grabbed gold, silver and bronze medals, thus affirming the high level of the Kuwaiti shooting sport in the country.
State officials, namely Minister of Information and Minister of State for Youth Affairs Sheikh Salman Sabah Al-Salem Al-Humoud Al-Sabah, have been backing the shooters morally and financially, said Al-Otaibi, who also expressed gratitude to Sharjah Ruler Sheikh Dr. Sultan Bin Mohammad Al-Qasemi for his sponsorship of the championship.
Meanwhile, Rezzouqi, winner of the first and second ranks in the individuals, told KUNA that it was a neck-and-neck contest, sensing that teams from the other GCC countries have noticeably improved their skills. However, Rezzouqi added that she had risen to the challenge for sake of lifting the Kuwaiti Flag aloft.
For Kuwait, the strong competition was with the UAE, and in the final encounters, with Bahrain. "However we have managed as a team to come first in the rifles' category, due to the special efforts put by my colleagues," she elaborated.
A'thari Qurban, who came third along with her Kuwaiti team mates in the 10m air pistol, expressed satisfaction for the results.
The tournament, hosted by Sharjah for the third time in a row, was organized by Sharjah Ladies Club. It included competitions in field-and-track and volleyball. (end) smr.rk