This week's talented showcase of students include a Dutch expatriate swimmer at Dubai International Academy, the football captain and playmaker of Raha International School and a netball player starring for Al Bateen in the school's first sports tournament.
Sarah De Maaker
The 15-year-old Dutch expatriate swims for her school team at Dubai International Academy, and also for Active Sports Academy. She has won "far too many competitions to remember", but her performance at the H2O meet in Qatar last year remains her favourite. "I did not win the gold, but I did manage to win a silver and bronze," she said.
Saif Al Hameli
Al Hameli, 16, is captain and playmaker of the Raha International School football team. He has impressed his coaches with his work-rate and determination to be strong with both feet. "My dad, Mohammed, played for Al Ain until Under 21 level and I would like to do that and maybe more," he said.
Shresht Prakash
Prakash made a splash at the CBSE cluster Swimming Gala at the Delhi Private School Dubai last week. With individuals restricted to five events, the Grade 11 pupil at DPS Dubai won gold in all his events to win the Under 19 individual championship and help his school top the table with 44 gold, 24 silver and 18 bronze.
Tanya Noorden
Noorden, a netball player, starred for the new Al Bateen Secondary school in Abu Dhabi in their first sports tournament. She was top-scorer for the girls' Under 12 team when they beat Cambridge School 4-1, and American Grammar School 2-1 at Zayed Sport City. Tanya, 11, scored four of her side's six goals.
UAE school sports Athlete of the Week:
Ajay Krishnan, Sharjah cricketer
Ajay Krishnan has impressed with his hard working attitude and willingness to learn. / Courtesy of Maxtalent
Other news from school sports in the Emirates
Al Jazira keep up good work in Abu Dhabi -
School in the spotlight:
Al Yasmina, Abu Dhabi -
Last week's student athlete of the week:
Alex Smith, Dubai College tennis player
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.
