Moroccan And Ethiopian Runners Excel At Nad Al Sheba Sports Tournament
African athletes from Morocco and Ethiopia showcased their running talent at the 11th Nad Al Sheba Sports Tournament held on Saturday. The road running races saw athletes from these two countries dominate the competition. In the men's 10km race, Ethiopia's Dagne Tesfu Demsie claimed the top spot, with the Moroccan duo of Anouar El Ghouz and Noaman El Assaoui finishing second and third, respectively. In the women's 10km race, Morocco's Wafa Zarouai emerged as the winner, followed by Ethiopia's Fanos Tekle and Great Britain's Kate Jordan.
The event also saw Emirati runners Khalid Khalil Al Bedwawi and Ruqayya Mohammed Al Marzooqi secure victories in the UAE men's and women's 10km races. The 5km open races witnessed impressive performances by Amine Souida from Morocco and Liesbeth Verheyden from Belgium.

Moroccan and Ethiopian Athletes Shine
Ethiopia and Morocco emerged as the dominant forces at the 11th Nad Al Sheba Sports Tournament, showcasing their running talent in the road running races held on Saturday. In the highly competitive men's 10km race, Ethiopian athlete Dagne Tesfu Demsie claimed the top spot with an impressive time of 27.50 minutes. Moroccan runners Anouar El Ghouz and Noaman El Assaoui finished closely behind, securing second and third place, respectively. The women's 10km race was won by Morocco's Wafa Zarouai, who clocked in at 34.36 minutes. Ethiopian runner Fanos Tekle and Great Britain's Kate Jordan secured second and third place, respectively.
Emiratis also Excel
Emirati runners Khalid Khalil Al Bedwawi and Ruqayya Mohammed Al Marzooqi shone in the UAE men's and women's 10km races. Al Bedwawi secured first place in the men's race, finishing with a time of 30.12 minutes. He was followed closely by Khalifa Al Nuaimi and Obaid Al Nuaimi, who claimed second and third place, respectively. In the women's race, Al Marzooqi emerged victorious, completing the distance in 41.06 minutes. Alya Obaid Al Shamsi and Fatima Al Shamsi secured second and third place, respectively.
Exciting 5km Races
The 5km open races were filled with excitement as athletes pushed themselves to the limit. Morocco's Amine Souida emerged as the winner in the men's race, clocking in at 14.57 minutes. He was followed by Uganda's Julius Kyasanku and Algeria's Gwidi Grace, who secured second and third place, respectively. In the women's race, Liesbeth Verheyden from Belgium dominated the field with a time of 17.47 minutes. Alisa Petrova from Romania and Ida Mathilde Rubens Steensgaard from Denmark secured second and third place, respectively.
Thrilling Finishes in Other Categories
The tournament witnessed thrilling finishes in various age categories. Moroccan runner Mbarek Rihane won the men's seniors race, completing the 5km distance in 16.35 minutes. In the women's seniors race, Frenchwoman Latifa Essarokh claimed the gold medal with a time of 20.16 minutes. Young runners also showcased their skills, with Yarib Nusair Al Yaarbi and Hattie Garrett winning the boys' and girls' 4km races, respectively. Abdullatif Ismail Al Sabri and Carla Benzmueller clinched top honors in the boys' and girls' youth categories.
Successful Event
The road running races at the 11th Nad Al Sheba Sports Tournament attracted over 3,000 runners from around the world. The event featured a total prize money of Dh325,000. The Padel competition also concluded with outstanding performances from teams and players. The Netherlands emerged as the champions in the team contest, defeating Kuwait in the final. The UAE's Alia Abdulla Taher and Fatma Al Janahi took the women's crown. The tournament, launched and supported by His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, will conclude with the volleyball final on March 31.