• Kelis Assembe Ndoum, 15, from Seine-Saint-Denis in France, is a rising star in the sport of fencing. All photos: Yassine Benhoumane
    Kelis Assembe Ndoum, 15, from Seine-Saint-Denis in France, is a rising star in the sport of fencing. All photos: Yassine Benhoumane
  • Ndoum's hometown of Seine-Saint-Denis is an impoverished suburb on the outskirts of Paris where a handful of Olympic events will be held this summer
    Ndoum's hometown of Seine-Saint-Denis is an impoverished suburb on the outskirts of Paris where a handful of Olympic events will be held this summer
  • 'I'd love to take part in the Olympic Games as an athlete one day,' she told The National
    'I'd love to take part in the Olympic Games as an athlete one day,' she told The National
  • Ndoum in action
    Ndoum in action
  • She will join a specialised high school in September with a compressed work schedule that ends at 2pm, keeping afternoons free for training
    She will join a specialised high school in September with a compressed work schedule that ends at 2pm, keeping afternoons free for training

Cut and thrust of Olympic Games set to boost a Paris fencer with humble roots


Sunniva Rose
  • English
  • Arabic

For one French teenager in a Parisian district preparing to host the Summer Olympic Games next week, the legacy of the event has already been written in her own hopes of future glory.

Amateur fencer Kelis Assembe Ndoum, 15, has a national team hero to follow when the competition begins – and a handful of tickets the local government has given to local enthusiasts.

At the Grand Palais in the shadow of the Eiffel Tower, she will follow the fencing rounds as well as beach volleyball and women's football.

“There'll surely be connoisseurs and, of course, the energy will be better than if I sat at home alone watching it on TV,” she tells The National.

“I'd love to take part in the Olympic Games as an athlete one day."

Her idol, 32-year-old French champion Ysaora Thibus, is lined up to compete, hoping to add gold to the team silver she won in Tokyo three years ago.

“I want to get to the highest possible level and innovate to show that one can make a living being a fencer,” says Kelis as she scrolls through her phones to show her favourite fashion shoots including Palestinian-American supermodel Bella Hadid wearing fencing-inspired clothes.

What has given hope to Kelis has not spread throughout the French capital.

Outside, on the streets of Seine-Saint-Denis, the sense of neglect has not left and locals find it hard to show enthusiasm for the Games.

The path to becoming an athlete is riddled with obstacles in the department, which has the lowest number of sports facilities per inhabitant in France despite heavy investments by local authorities to democratise sports.

There are just over five gyms per 10,000 people in Seine-Saint-Denis, compared with eight per 10,000 in the richer Hauts-de-Seine.

Grumbles abound

The most popular city for tourists in the world, Paris will be the site of many high-profile events such as beach volleyball at the Eiffel Tower and fencing and taekwondo at the Grand Palais.

Seine-Saint-Denis is the poorest department of France but it is also home to the iconic stadium, the Stade de France. Crossing the divide between sports and popular interest is the ultimate test facing the organisers just over a week before the opening ceremony.

“Olympic Games are for the rich” and “we won't benefit from the Games” are oft-heard remarks.

Even free tickets struggle to find takers, say local authorities in the Seine-Saint-Denis neighbourhood of Montreuil, where Kelis trains.

She speaks with passion of her love of sports in a cafe of Montreuil, a multicultural town where close to a third of the population lives under the poverty line.

Kelis is one of two girls spotlighted for a documentary by the 28-year-old filmmaker Yassine Benhoumane. Working with the city hall's sports department, he is preparing a film to be broadcast after the Games that profiles six young athletes. There is also a breakdancer, a swimmer, a gymnast, a wrestler and a boxer.

Pedestrians walk past apartment buildings in Le Franc-Moisin neighbourhood of Saint-Denis, left, and a Paris 2024 sign at site of the Olympic village where the athletes will be housed in Saint-Denis, right. AFP
Pedestrians walk past apartment buildings in Le Franc-Moisin neighbourhood of Saint-Denis, left, and a Paris 2024 sign at site of the Olympic village where the athletes will be housed in Saint-Denis, right. AFP

Kelis was 13 when she started fencing in earnest at a new club opened with the support of the city hall in 2022, training with adults because there were no children when she first joined.

“I don't have any friends in the club. I like the adults but it'd be weird if we became close friends,” she says with a laugh.

Promoting Spotlight

“Fencing is one of those sports that's not promoted enough,” says Benhoumane. “But things are changing.”

Kelis developed her interest in sports – she also does judo and has dabbled in basketball – alone, even though her father, from Cameroon, was an avid footballer when he was young.

“I have more expectations for myself than my parents have of me,” she says.

Now, at 15, she has won several local and national competitions and is ranked 56th at national level.

Kelis Assembe Ndoum in action. Photo: Yassine Benhoumane
Kelis Assembe Ndoum in action. Photo: Yassine Benhoumane

From September, she will join a specialised high school with a compressed work schedule that ends at 2pm to free up afternoons for training.

Her favourite move is the so-called fleche, in which she runs with her epee – a fencing weapon closely related to the sword – at her opponent. She also likes to aim for the feet to surprise her adversary.

“I like the image that sports give me. I do loads of other things thanks to sports. Six months ago, I would have never thought I'd be profiled by my city in a documentary film. My teachers now have a higher opinion of me,” she says.

It's a reputation that appears well-deserved. In recent years Kelis has trained every weekday and competed most Sundays, waking up at 6am to take several buses carrying heavy bags – mostly on her own.

She lives with her sister and mother, a child carer, who sometimes struggles to find the energy to go with her to competitions.

“I can understand why it's not exactly pleasurable to wake up at 6am on a Sunday on a rainy winter day. At first, she was motivated and would film me. Now, I have to announce my points to her,” Kelis says.

Countdown to the Paris 2024 Olympic Games – in pictures

  • The Olympic rings are illuminated on the Eiffel Tower before the start of the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. Getty Images
    The Olympic rings are illuminated on the Eiffel Tower before the start of the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. Getty Images
  • The Arc de Triomphe adorned with the Paralympic logo. Getty Images
    The Arc de Triomphe adorned with the Paralympic logo. Getty Images
  • Riders and horses from Team Ireland practise dressage during an equestrian eventing training session at Chateau de Versailles. Getty Images
    Riders and horses from Team Ireland practise dressage during an equestrian eventing training session at Chateau de Versailles. Getty Images
  • A beach volleyball practice match at the Eiffel Tower Stadium. AP
    A beach volleyball practice match at the Eiffel Tower Stadium. AP
  • Boipelo Awuah of South Africa during skateboard training at La Concorde. Reuters
    Boipelo Awuah of South Africa during skateboard training at La Concorde. Reuters
  • French President Emmanuel Macron with athletes during a visit to the Olympic village. Reuters
    French President Emmanuel Macron with athletes during a visit to the Olympic village. Reuters
  • A view of the beach volleyball venue in Paris. AP
    A view of the beach volleyball venue in Paris. AP
  • People play basketball in front of the Hotel de Ville. Getty Images
    People play basketball in front of the Hotel de Ville. Getty Images
  • The skateboarding venue at La Concorde. AFP
    The skateboarding venue at La Concorde. AFP
  • The interior of the Grand Palais, where fencing and taekwondo competitions will take place. Getty Images
    The interior of the Grand Palais, where fencing and taekwondo competitions will take place. Getty Images
  • The Olympic village, as seen from the Village plaza in Saint-Denis. Getty Images
    The Olympic village, as seen from the Village plaza in Saint-Denis. Getty Images
  • French judoka Clarisse Agbegnenou holds the Olympic Torch next to Tony Estanguet, president of the organising committee of the 2024 Games, at the Eiffel Tower. AFP
    French judoka Clarisse Agbegnenou holds the Olympic Torch next to Tony Estanguet, president of the organising committee of the 2024 Games, at the Eiffel Tower. AFP
  • The Olympic Games logo at Bastille Square in Paris. EPA
    The Olympic Games logo at Bastille Square in Paris. EPA
  • A soldier at a military camp in the Vincennes forest, on the outskirts of Paris. The camp will house 4,500 soldiers who will provide additional security during the Games. AP
    A soldier at a military camp in the Vincennes forest, on the outskirts of Paris. The camp will house 4,500 soldiers who will provide additional security during the Games. AP
  • Torchbearers pose with the Olympic flame and dancers outside The Moulin Rouge. Reuters
    Torchbearers pose with the Olympic flame and dancers outside The Moulin Rouge. Reuters
  • A banner bearing the Paris 2024 Olympic Games logo, at the Trocadero in Paris. AFP
    A banner bearing the Paris 2024 Olympic Games logo, at the Trocadero in Paris. AFP
  • Lt Gen Christophe Abad, the Military Governor of Paris, holds the Olympic torch as he rides past officials including President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte during the Bastille Day military parade. AFP
    Lt Gen Christophe Abad, the Military Governor of Paris, holds the Olympic torch as he rides past officials including President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte during the Bastille Day military parade. AFP
  • The Eiffel Tower Stadium as workers prepare the venue that will host beach volleyball events. Getty Images
    The Eiffel Tower Stadium as workers prepare the venue that will host beach volleyball events. Getty Images
  • Workers set up internet cables inside the handball arena in Paris. Getty Images
    Workers set up internet cables inside the handball arena in Paris. Getty Images
  • Torch bearer and French BMX world champion Matthias Dandois performs after holding the Olympic flame at the Trocadero in front of the Eiffel Tower. AFP
    Torch bearer and French BMX world champion Matthias Dandois performs after holding the Olympic flame at the Trocadero in front of the Eiffel Tower. AFP
  • Olympic rings are installed in front of the Nantes train station. AFP
    Olympic rings are installed in front of the Nantes train station. AFP
  • Members of the public take photos in front of the countdown clock for the Games at Port de la Bourfonnais, near the Eiffel Tower, in Paris. PA
    Members of the public take photos in front of the countdown clock for the Games at Port de la Bourfonnais, near the Eiffel Tower, in Paris. PA
  • Stands are constructed at Place de la Concorde ahead of the Games. PA
    Stands are constructed at Place de la Concorde ahead of the Games. PA
  • Tourists stand on the Sacre-Coeur Basilica stairs painted with the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games colours. Reuters
    Tourists stand on the Sacre-Coeur Basilica stairs painted with the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games colours. Reuters
  • The big screens at Piccadilly Circus in London marking 100 days to go before the Games begin. PA
    The big screens at Piccadilly Circus in London marking 100 days to go before the Games begin. PA
  • People watch as former British Olympic artistic swimmers Asha George, Katie Clark, Sisy Wang and Emily Kuhl perform in a water tank in London to mark 100 days before the Games. Reuters
    People watch as former British Olympic artistic swimmers Asha George, Katie Clark, Sisy Wang and Emily Kuhl perform in a water tank in London to mark 100 days before the Games. Reuters
  • Stands are constructed on the Champ-de-Mars, near the Eiffel Tower. PA
    Stands are constructed on the Champ-de-Mars, near the Eiffel Tower. PA
  • Greek actress Mary Mina, playing the role of High Priestess, lights the flame during the Olympic Flame lighting ceremony in Greece for the Paris 2024 Olympics. Reuters
    Greek actress Mary Mina, playing the role of High Priestess, lights the flame during the Olympic Flame lighting ceremony in Greece for the Paris 2024 Olympics. Reuters
  • Workers build stands for this summer's Olympic Games on the Champ-de-Mars, beside the Eiffel Tower in Paris. AP
    Workers build stands for this summer's Olympic Games on the Champ-de-Mars, beside the Eiffel Tower in Paris. AP
  • French skipper Armel Le Cleac'h poses with the Olympic torch and the Olympic lantern, in Paris. Navigator Mr Le Cleac'h will carry the Olympic flame from Brest to the Antilles next June in the ocean torch relay, which will visit six French overseas territories. AFP
    French skipper Armel Le Cleac'h poses with the Olympic torch and the Olympic lantern, in Paris. Navigator Mr Le Cleac'h will carry the Olympic flame from Brest to the Antilles next June in the ocean torch relay, which will visit six French overseas territories. AFP
  • Workers construct banks of seating in front of the obelisk at the La Concorde Urban Park site in central Paris. AFP
    Workers construct banks of seating in front of the obelisk at the La Concorde Urban Park site in central Paris. AFP
  • Police officers, military personnel, rescue workers and firefighters take part in an exercise simulating a terrorist attack at the Groupama Stadium in Decines-Charpieu, eastern France. AFP
    Police officers, military personnel, rescue workers and firefighters take part in an exercise simulating a terrorist attack at the Groupama Stadium in Decines-Charpieu, eastern France. AFP
  • Activists hold a banner that translates to: 'Do not leave exclusion as a legacy', during a protest to raise awareness of the social impact of the Olympics in Paris. AP
    Activists hold a banner that translates to: 'Do not leave exclusion as a legacy', during a protest to raise awareness of the social impact of the Olympics in Paris. AP
  • Grandstands are set up in the gardens of Chateau de Versailles, where equestrian events and the modern pentathlon will be held. EPA
    Grandstands are set up in the gardens of Chateau de Versailles, where equestrian events and the modern pentathlon will be held. EPA
  • The facade of Paris City Hall is decorated with the Olympic rings. EPA
    The facade of Paris City Hall is decorated with the Olympic rings. EPA
  • Some of the French capital's Metro stations have changed their name for Olympic year. EPA
    Some of the French capital's Metro stations have changed their name for Olympic year. EPA
  • Maintenance work is carried out at the swimming pools in the Aquatics Centre, built for the Olympics in Saint Denis. AFP
    Maintenance work is carried out at the swimming pools in the Aquatics Centre, built for the Olympics in Saint Denis. AFP
  • Two official Olympic 'Phryges' mascots on parade at the headquarters of the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Organising Committee. AFP
    Two official Olympic 'Phryges' mascots on parade at the headquarters of the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Organising Committee. AFP
  • The Champ-de-Mars Arena is taking shape. It will host judo, para judo, wrestling and wheelchair rugby, with beach volleyball held nearby. AP
    The Champ-de-Mars Arena is taking shape. It will host judo, para judo, wrestling and wheelchair rugby, with beach volleyball held nearby. AP
  • Olympic gold, silver and bronze medals in a Louis Vuitton medals trunk, which will transport and protect the gongs. Reuters
    Olympic gold, silver and bronze medals in a Louis Vuitton medals trunk, which will transport and protect the gongs. Reuters
  • Members of the French National Police elite unit take part in an exercise drill in the Paris suburb of Draveil. AFP
    Members of the French National Police elite unit take part in an exercise drill in the Paris suburb of Draveil. AFP
  • The Media Village that will host journalists from around the world, in Le Bourget. AFP
    The Media Village that will host journalists from around the world, in Le Bourget. AFP
  • Activists pose with Olympic rings outside the Orsay Museum in Paris, during a demonstration to draw attention to social inequality they say will be exacerbated by the coming event. AFP
    Activists pose with Olympic rings outside the Orsay Museum in Paris, during a demonstration to draw attention to social inequality they say will be exacerbated by the coming event. AFP
  • Employees work on outfits for volunteers at a manufacturing workshop in Marseille. AFP
    Employees work on outfits for volunteers at a manufacturing workshop in Marseille. AFP
  • A test for the Olympic torch relay in Troyes. Reuters
    A test for the Olympic torch relay in Troyes. Reuters
  • A French police officer demonstrates how an anti-drone gun works during a media presentation of security systems at a military base in Velizy-Vallacoublay, south-west of Paris. AFP
    A French police officer demonstrates how an anti-drone gun works during a media presentation of security systems at a military base in Velizy-Vallacoublay, south-west of Paris. AFP

She praises her mother for supporting her ambitions on a tight family budget. Money is a source of stress at home, says Kelis, who does not own any of her swords or protective outfit but borrows them from her club.

“My mother sacrifices herself for us so that we don't lack anything. There are things I won't ask her to buy like a whole fencing set,” she adds. A protective jacket alone costs more than €70.

As she prepares for travel internationally to compete next year, she wonders if it's worth finally buying her own gear.

“My mum and I need more information,” she said, showing maturity beyond her years.

World-class ambitions

One day, she hopes, she'll become a world champion and combine her passion for fencing with her love of fashion and art – much like 32-year-old Ms Thibus, who has had a rollercoaster year of suspension after a drug test, which was then dropped, followed by injury last month in a training session. She is aiming for gold in both the individual and team events.

French fencing champion Ysaora Thibus is lined up to compete at the Paris Games, hoping to add gold to the team silver she won in Tokyo three years ago. Getty Images
French fencing champion Ysaora Thibus is lined up to compete at the Paris Games, hoping to add gold to the team silver she won in Tokyo three years ago. Getty Images

Like many teenagers, Kelis has no particular interest in politics, although it has played an important role in getting her into competition.

One of the few remaining bastions of the “red belt” – a reference to the French Communist Party's former grip on industrial Parisian suburbs – Montreuil has a history of investing in sports, although it currently needs €6 billion to reach the same level of infrastructure as the French average, according to sports municipal councillor Olivier Charles.

Montreuil's most recent gymnasium was built in 1974 and its annual sports budget is just €4 million.

State support

When Kelis's first fencing club closed down, Mr Charles, a former rugby coach, reached out to another one in neighbouring Bondy to ask them to also install in Montreuil – and it worked.

The idea is to popularise sports that are often viewed as only for the rich such as fencing, which often only pops up in conversation when watching duels in period dramas.

“It's working really well,” Mr Charles says.

Like many local officials, his expectations regarding the Olympic Games are low.

In an interview, Seine-Saint-Denis department sports councillor Zainaba Said-Anzum pushed back against the idea that Montreuil and other cities have been neglected, saying that 600 companies and more than 2,000 people from the department have worked on preparing the Games within its boundaries.

French President Emmanuel Macron after a cup final at Stade de France. Reuters
French President Emmanuel Macron after a cup final at Stade de France. Reuters

“We have brought sports in the public sphere in 24 different sites,” she says. “The department will include the media village and the athletes' village – in no way have some areas been favoured compared to others.”

In Montreuil, the only change the Games have brought is the renovation of a 10-metre deep swimming pool used by divers for training, says Mr Charles.

This has also caused grumbling because the renovation and usage by athletes will have barred locals from using it for nearly two years.

“I hope that if there are economic benefits, they'll help us renovate our infrastructure and build new gymnasiums,” says Mr Charles. “Otherwise there isn't much point.”

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Director: Neeraj Pandey

Rating: 2.5/5

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Name: Yousef Al Bahar

Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994

Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers

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Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.

Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.

Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.

Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.

“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.

Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.

From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.

Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.

BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.

Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.

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“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.

Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.

“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.

“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”

The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”

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Don’ts 

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  • Buy a kandura only based on how it feels; ask questions about the fabric and understand what you are buying
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Play-off 3rd: UAE beat Russia 2-1 (in extra time).

Play-off 5th: Japan beat Egypt 7-2.

Play-off 7th: Italy beat Mexico 3-2.

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Winner: Fahadd, Richard Mullen, Ahmed Al Mehairbi.

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Winner: Shivan OA, Patrick Cosgrave, Helal Al Alawi.

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%3Cul%3E%0A%3Cli%3ECystic%20fibrosis%20is%20a%20genetic%20disorder%20that%20affects%20the%20lungs%2C%20pancreas%20and%20other%20organs.%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EIt%20causes%20the%20production%20of%20thick%2C%20sticky%20mucus%20that%20can%20clog%20the%20airways%20and%20lead%20to%20severe%20respiratory%20and%20digestive%20problems.%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EPatients%20with%20the%20condition%20are%20prone%20to%20lung%20infections%20and%20often%20suffer%20from%20chronic%20coughing%2C%20wheezing%20and%20shortness%20of%20breath.%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3ELife%20expectancy%20for%20sufferers%20of%20cystic%20fibrosis%20is%20now%20around%2050%20years.%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3C%2Ful%3E%0A

TV (UAE time);

OSN Sports: from 10am

Our legal consultant

Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais

Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.

THE APPRENTICE

Director: Ali Abbasi

Starring: Sebastian Stan, Maria Bakalova, Jeremy Strong

Rating: 3/5

Our legal consultant

Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais

Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants

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The biog

Favourite hobby: I love to sing but I don’t get to sing as much nowadays sadly.

Favourite book: Anything by Sidney Sheldon.

Favourite movie: The Exorcist 2. It is a big thing in our family to sit around together and watch horror movies, I love watching them.

Favourite holiday destination: The favourite place I have been to is Florence, it is a beautiful city. My dream though has always been to visit Cyprus, I really want to go there.

Eyasses squad

Charlie Preston (captain) – goal shooter/ goalkeeper (Dubai College)

Arushi Holt (vice-captain) – wing defence / centre (Jumeriah English Speaking School)  

Olivia Petricola (vice-captain) – centre / wing attack (Dubai English Speaking College)

Isabel Affley – goalkeeper / goal defence (Dubai English Speaking College)

Jemma Eley – goal attack / wing attack (Dubai College)

Alana Farrell-Morton – centre / wing / defence / wing attack (Nord Anglia International School)

Molly Fuller – goal attack / wing attack (Dubai College)

Caitlin Gowdy – goal defence / wing defence (Dubai English Speaking College)

Noorulain Hussain – goal defence / wing defence (Dubai College)

Zahra Hussain-Gillani – goal defence / goalkeeper (British School Al Khubairat)

Claire Janssen – goal shooter / goal attack (Jumeriah English Speaking School)         

Eliza Petricola – wing attack / centre (Dubai English Speaking College)

Updated: July 19, 2024, 1:50 PM