• Final challenge for more than 400 participants in Obstacle Course Race today

• Teams for volleyball commence training in main hall of Nad Al Sheba Sports Complex

DUBAI: The International Federation of Padel Championship (Rise category) got under way with most of the international favourites easing their way into the next round of competition of the 11th Nad Al Sheba Sports Tournament.

Leading the field of 46 teams of men and women, and watched by Sheikh Saeed bin Maktoum bin Juma Al Maktoum, President of the Emirates Padel Federation, it was the pairing of Xavier Masson and Jorge Hernan Tupayachi Llanos opening their campaign on a winning note on the opening night at the Nad Al Sheba Sports Complex hall in the FIP Rise Dubai Padel Championship.

The Padel Championship will continue till Sunday (March 24).

With nine matches worked out on the opening night, it was Masson and Llanos displaying a fine combination to oust Alejandro Chaveli Canovas and Alvaro Clemente Jimenez 6-2, 6-4 to ease their way into the next round of competition.

Arthur Hugouneno and Pierre Vincent came up with an equally dominant showing to beat Saif Al Hammadi and Qasim Al Sherafi 6-0, 6-1, while Romain Sichez and Philippe Francois Martelli struck good form while skipping past Khaled Megdiche and Khalil Ben Lallahom 6-2, 6-2.

Rodrigo Aza Casaseca and Mikel Blanco Dorao were always in a hurry following their 6-0, 6-1 win against Mahmood Al Attar and Ahmad Al Muhairi, while Arsham Moradi Nejad Marian and Sohrab Darafshi Ghahroudi were made to work hard before securing a 3-6, 6-1, 6-4 win against Ramtin Fatoorechi and Aria Jafar.

Sebastiao Mendonca and Plinio Ferrao had a tough outing before coming back from behind to win 6-7, 6-4, 6-3 against Philip Orloff and Ivan Lopez Munoz, while Martin Martinez Perez and Hugo Caparros Basterra kept off the pair of Agustin Molinero Fernandez and Alexis Jesuan Gonzalez Dalbene 6-1, 6-7, 6-4 to advance to the next round.

Other winners on the night was the pairing of Javier Navarro Rodriguez and Julian Lacamoire easing past Bohdan Levchuk and Danyil Yevdokimov 6-2, 6-3, while Ignacio Gonzalez Gadea and Javier Puerto Elvira beat Oliver Szakacs and Andre Biro 6-2, 6-1.

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 has nine different sports disciplines, including Volleyball, Padel, Jiu-Jitsu, Fencing, Wheelchair Basketball, Road Race, Cycling, Tug-of-War and an Obstacle Challenge Race.

Volleyball excitement next

Meanwhile, teams for the Volleyball competition have already commenced their practice sessions in preparation for the competition that will get under way at the main hall of the Nad Al Sheba Sports Complex, from March 22 (Friday).

There are eight teams participating with Group A consisting of Zabeel (1), The Emperor, Fohood Zabeel and Alameed, while Group B comprising of Al Jawareh, Zabeel (2), HMS and The King.

Friday’s opening encounters will see Zabeel (1) facing Fohood Zabeel, while The Emperor will take on Alameed. On the following day (March 23), matches from Group B will be held with HMS playing Al Jawareh, while Zabeel (2) will be up against The King.

There will be a rest day for teams following the conclusion of preliminary round matches on March 27. The semi-finals will be played on March 29, followed by the fight for third place on March 30 and the final on March 31.

Obstacle Race to end today

More than 400 participants will know their fate at the end of the Obstacle Challenge Race when the winners of the event are announced Thursday.

With a total fund of AED 290,000 on offer for the top finishers in the male and female categories, all eyes will be on the first-placed athletes and the AED 100,000 that each champion is scheduled to walk away with.

The competition consists of covering a total of eleven obstacles spread out over a distance of 400 metres in the fastest possible time, with a maximum time limit of 4 minutes.

Wheelchair Basketball continues

The qualifying matches of the wheelchair basketball will continue at the Dubai Club for People of Determination, with Mai Dubai facing Dubai Courts at 9.30 pm on Thursday, while Dubai Municipality will be up against the Roads and Transport Authority from 10.10 pm.

The Community Development Authority team will meet Al Bustan Center and Residence at 10.50 pm, followed by the match between Dubai Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship versus Dubai Electricity and Water Authority at 11.30 pm.