As many as 15 diverse sporting events lined up during the next few days

Community to benefit from six running races scheduled to be held in different regions

DUBAI: Dubai will be abuzz with a handful of exciting international competitions during the course of the week, all in cooperation with the Dubai Sports Council.

Starting off with the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup from today (Thursday, October 3), the series of more than 15 international, diverse, competitive and community sporting events will also include the qualifiers for the 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup, the MEFIT Pro Health and Fitness Conference, the first Special Olympics MENA Regional Sailing Competition and the qualifying rounds for the Premier Padel P1 Dubai International Championship.

The battle to reach the top of the ICC Women’s T20I Player Rankings will be closer than ever as the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 gets under from today (Thursday). There will be ten countries battling it out to be crowned world champions on October 20.

The tournament, now being held every two years, was first played in 2009 in England. Contested by ten teams when the event was last held in 2023 in South Africa, Australia went on to defeat the hosts and be crowned world champions.

Organised by the International Cricket Council in cooperation with the Emirates Cricket Board, the event will kick off at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium at the Dubai Sports City, with matches also scheduled to be hosted at the historic Sharjah Cricket Stadium.

The ten qualifying teams have been divided into two groups of five teams, with each of them playing the others for a total of ten matches in one group. The top two teams in each group will advance to the knockout stages.

Group A consists of six-time defending champions Australia along with India, New Zealand, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, while Group B will have Bangladesh, England, South Africa, the West Indies and Scotland.

The qualifying process for the 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup in England began during the knockout stages of the 2021 tournament that was held in New Zealand, during which the four teams reaching the semi-finals automatically made it for the 2025 event. A further six teams are yet to qualify as winners of the six regional tournaments during the course of 2024. These final six spots will go to the highest-finishing WXV teams who have not yet qualified.

The qualifying round will take place at The Sevens Dubai with participation from six top teams including Hong Kong, Fiji, Madagascar, the Netherlands, Samoa and Spain.

The tournament will last over three weekends and is part of a new series of world championships launched by the International Rugby Board (IRB) in an attempt to develop women’s rugby and provide a greater competitive opportunity for international teams. The series includes organizing three world championships, namely WXV1 in Vancouver, Canada, WXV2 in Cape Town, South Africa, and WXV3 in Dubai, UAE.

Today (Thursday) will also witness the start of the MEFIT Pro Health and Fitness Conference and Exhibition. The three-day event is scheduled to be held at the Marriott Hotel on Palm Jumeirah from October 3 to 5. The major event involving internationally fitness entrepreneurs, business owners, professionals and educators is expected to witness the attendance of more than 1,400 participants from 39 countries.

Organisers have lined up 30 speakers and lecturers from amongst international and local experts from different countries and continents of the world delivering 80 lectures on diverse topics that address latest trends, challenges and solutions that shape the future of fitness and healthcare. In addition, there will be discussions on several vital sports topics, and a Youth Summit that is dedicated solely to school students.

The three-day event is scheduled to be held at the Marriott Hotel on Palm Jumeirah from October 3 to 5. The major event involving internationally fitness entrepreneurs, business owners, professionals and educators is expected to witness the attendance of more than 1,400 participants from 39 countries.

The Dubai International Marine Club (DIMC) will also organize the first Special Olympics MENA Regional Sailing Competition till October 6.

Organised with support from the Dubai Sports Council and in cooperation with the UAE Sailing and Rowing Federation (UAESARF), as many as six teams, including Oman, Kuwait, Morocco, Bahrain and Syria have lined up their teams for the competition.

Organised for the first time in the Middle East in partnership with the Special Olympics for the Middle East and North Africa and Special Olympics UAE under the supervision of the Emirates Sailing and Rowing Federation.

The Wildcards Tournament qualifying rounds for the Premier Padel P1 Dubai International, organised by Gallup Global, will get under way from tomorrow (Friday, October 4) at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Stadium. This competition is part of a series of 25 tournaments spread across 18 countries on five continents, with 256 of the world’s best players participating.

Besides this, the Hamdan Sports Complex will play host to the 1st Fundamental Swimming Championship for Academies, the AHPC Show Jumping Championship at the Al Habtoor Polo Club and Resort, the Ultimate Night Runing Race at the Dubai International Academy in Emirates Hills, the 555 Run at Dubai Science Park, the Spinneys Family Run Series at Meydan Polo Residences, the IGNITE Pink Duathlon Swim and Run at Anantara The Palm, the Dubai Harbour Day Run Series, Al Sahel Road Run at Al Barari, the Trail Seeker Mountain Bike Challenge and the Gravel Bike Mountain Bike Challenge at Mushrif Park, and the Al Kabadi Championship as part of the 6th Labours Sports Tournament that will be held in Al Garhoud.