Sporting couples united by a love of competition are embracing the opportunity to match up against athletes from all over the world at the Open Masters Games Abu Dhabi.
Winning pairs teaming up in diverse disciplines such as weightlifting, archery and basketball have told of how the power of sport has brought them closer together and helped fuel their passion for success in the UAE capital.
German weightlifters Juergen Braun, 60, and Silke Hedderich, 53, have seen their relationship go from strength to strength and built a life together after meeting in training.
“Weightlifting brought us together,” said Mr Braun, who has been weightlifting for 50 years, while Ms Hedderich began much later.
She said of the sport: “It's fun. You must concentrate, you need self-discipline and you train, train, train.”
Mr Braun is a shining example of how sport can enrich health and well-being, as well as help to forge lifelong friendships.
Open Masters Games - in pictures
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Lisa Wirsing competes in the Recurve 40+ women’s division at the Open Masters Games at the Zayed Cricket Stadium archery grounds. Victor Besa / The National -
Competitors take aim during the archery event. The multi-sports event has attracted more than 20,000 athletes to the UAE. Victor Besa / The National -
Traditional diving at Al Mirfa, Abu Dhabi. The Open Masters Games is taking place in several venues across Abu Dhabi and Al Ain. Getty Images -
Table tennis competition at ADNEC in Abu Dhabi. The games run until February 15. Getty Images -
Chess competition at ADNEC in Abu Dhabi. More than 25,000 male and female athletes are competing in the games from 92 countries. Getty Images -
Traditional dhow racing at Al Mirfa in Abu Dhabi. There will be 13 events for athletes with disabilities. Getty Images -
Track Athletics at Zayed Sports City in Abu Dhabi. Under the slogan “United by Sports, Active for Life”, the games celebrate inclusivity and community. Getty Images -
Weightlifting at ADNEC in Abu Dhabi. Getty Images -
Table Tennis at ADNEC in Abu Dhabi. Getty Images
“When I was a small boy, I had problems with my back,” he said. “I trained for four years and the back was correct. In 50 years, I never had one minute of pain in my back because of weightlifting.”
A former captain of the German Masters weightlifting team, Mr Braun is now vice president of his regional federation.
“I like to travel around the world,” he said. “We meet friends from Venezuela, Canada, the US, Lebanon, France. When we come together, it’s like meeting friends twice a year.”
Rising female participation
Ms Hedderich said women’s participation in weightlifting has grown significantly.
“In the last 10 years, women’s weightlifting has gone up,” she said. “There are more women than men now, and women train harder.”
She said representing Germany remains deeply emotional. “When the German flag goes up, you feel like a giant.
Courting couple
On the basketball court, British couple Bruce and Charlie Lauder, both 46, also said sport was the foundation for their relationship.
“We actually got to know each other at the basketball court,” Ms Lauder said. The pair met at university, where she coached him before their roles later reversed.
“I used to be his coach at university and now he’s my coach,” she said. “So now the tables are turned.”
Mr Lauder joked that the role reversal felt like “revenge”.
Now competing together at the Masters Games, they say training as a couple has helped them stay connected through different stages of life.
“We can never be on different teams,” Ms Lauder said. “We’re too competitive for that.” She said the Masters programme has been particularly important for women returning to sport after having families.
“A lot of women, once they’ve had children and they’ve got to work and be a mum, you don’t have time for yourself,” she said. “This gives us a chance to get fit again and be around people with the same mindset.”
Mr Lauder said the games motivate many participants to really commit to training. “Some people here have lost 10, 15, even 20 kilograms just to get here,” he said. “It’s given them a drive.”
He also praised the organisation and venues in Abu Dhabi. “It’s such a pleasure to be here,” he said. “We’ve met people from countries we’ve never seen before, like Mongolia. It’s our first time in the UAE and we’ll definitely be coming back.”
'Having fun, not winning'
Competing in archery are German citizens Lisa Wirsing, 70, and Manfred Wirsing, 63, who live in Switzerland and are taking part in their fifth Masters Games.
“We started in 2017 in Auckland,” they said. They have since competed in Turin and Taiwan, meeting many archers along the way.
“We met a lot of people,” Mr Wirsing said. “We see them maybe only every two or four years but then we meet again at the Masters Games.”
He said the Masters Games allow athletes to reconnect with people they trained or competed alongside years earlier. “We are shooting together with people we met in Taiwan and Israel,” Mr Wirsing said. “You see them again here.”
Both said the appeal of the Masters Games is not about medals but the memories made. “For me, the Masters Games are about having fun and doing your sport,” Mr Wirsing said. “It is not necessary to win.”
Mrs Wirsing is competing despite a serious back injury that required surgery. “I have 16 pins in my back,” she said. “But I can still do archery. It doesn’t hurt. There is no strain.”
She said archery allows her to remain active. “I am happy I can still shoot,” she said. “It’s my passion.”
The couple said they discovered archery after they were married and later found the Masters Games through chance. “It brought us closer,” they said.
Improving lives
Dr Farida Al Hosani, chief executive of the Global Institute for Disease Elimination, reflected on how couples meeting and thriving highlighted the importance of sport.
“When people adopt an active and social lifestyle, it improves not only physical health but also social well-being,” she said. “That connection is what helps people live better lives for longer. I am really delighted to be part of the Masters Games.
“Hosting this important event in Abu Dhabi is not only an event, it’s really a social movement that supports well-being, sports and activity for the whole community.”
She said the Games encourage participation across generations and promote active lifestyles. “It is very important for the prevention of chronic diseases, mental well-being and physical well-being,” she said. “Being able to move and walk through life enables us to function better and have a better quality of life.”
Dr Al Hosani said staying active is crucial to mind, body and soul, particularly for older members of society.
“People at older age can become isolated, and this really affects their mental and physical well-being,” she said. “Being engaged in social activities and practising sports helps people socialise with others, which is a very important part of longevity.”
