This week's talented showcase of students include an all-round performance from a Ras Al Khaimah pupil to get the MaxTalent Pride Cup inter-university cricket tournament off to a sizzling start and an Abu Dhabi rugby player with eyes on the national team.
Zuhaib Ali
He got the Maxtalent Pride Cup inter-university cricket tournament off to sizzling start, with an impressive all-round show for London American City College of Ras Al Khaimah. Ali, opening the innings, smashed a 46-ball 78 to help his college score 219 for four. He then took three wickets for 23 as Bolton University, RAK were bowled out for 124.
Juliet Johny
She led the points table as Delhi Private School Sharjah defeated St Mary's, Dubai, in the opening girls' basketball match of the Sundeep Batavia Memorial Inter-School tournament. Johny scored 21 points in the 53-16 win. The tournament, which will also see competitions in cricket and table tennis, has attracted teams from 22 schools.
Adel Al Hendi
The 16-year-old pupil at Chaueifat School in Abu Dhabi hopes for a career as a professional rugby player. He is a powerful winger who is being talked up by the Abu Dhabi Harlequins, where he is a star player. "I am half Welsh, but my ambition is to play for the UAE national team in a Test match," Al Hendi said.
Dan D'souza
The wicketkeeper-batsman recently joined Abu Dhabi's British School Al Khubairat specifically for the cricket programme. D'souza, 17, has represented the UAE at Under 19 level and has scored 231 runs in four fixtures, with a match winning unbeaten century against Repton 1st XI at Repton.
UAE school sports Athlete of the Week:
Kieran Geldenhuys, football player
Kieran Geldenhuys has signed a two-year professional contract with English League One club Notts County. Pawan Singh / The National
Other news from school sports in the Emirates
ICC Global Cricket Academy scholarship latest feather in cap for Mohammed Riyan -
School in Spotlight
: New Al Bateen School, Abu Dhabi -
Last week's student athlete of the week -
Matt Jones, Dubai ice hockey net-minder
How to nominate a student Athlete of the Week:
Every Tuesday
The National
focuses on school sports in the UAE. Each week we will pick student athletes who deserve some recognition for their efforts. To nominate a student please send us an e-mail detailing their accomplishments to the following addresses:
For Abu Dhabi e-mail Neil Cameron at
For Dubai e-mail Ahmed Rizvi at
Please visit
The National's
school sports topic page at
www.thenational.ae/school-sports
for our extensive coverage of school sport in the UAE.
