AL AIN // Bungee runs, wall-climbing, bag jumps and jugglers entertained thousands of families as the Big Kick-Off event drew to a close on Saturday.
The three-day family fun festival to launch Hazza bin Zayed Stadium attracted about 15,000 people.
The free event promoted the benefits of a healthy lifestyle and marked the opening of the 25,000-seat arena, the new home of Al Ain FC.
“It has been absolutely manic,” said James Masterman, a football coach who was part of the Soccer Kids team, which gave free training during the festival.
“Some boys have been here every day playing five to six hours a day non-stop.”
The Briton said it had been busiest between 8pm and 9pm on each day of the event, as youngsters competed in five-a-side matches cheered on by crowds of supporters.
“On the first night we had 200 people watching them play,” said Mr Masterman, 34. “The children who have been coming here have been making friends and setting up their own teams – it has been great to see.”
Initiatives such as the Big Kick-Off help to tackle lifestyle disorders such as obesity and diabetes that are prevalent in the Middle East, Mr Masterman said.
“This is the best way of getting them to do something, by making it fun,” he said. “Events like this are helping get children get active and to become involved in grass-roots sports.”
Football fan Hamza Hamadi was out of breath after showing off his dribbling skills in the freestyle whistlestop test.
“It is very good here,” said Hamza, 14, before heading for a friendly match on the artificial turf.
The Barcelona fan, who lives in Al Ain, said he had been to all three days of the festival.
Set up near the new stadium, the event was divided into five sections for different sports, each represented by different animals.
Australian Nasser Aguleh, 12, who lives in Al Ain, worked up a sweat on the space hopper and obstacle course in the fast and fun Desert Hare Zone.
“It has been really good,” said Nasser. “My family brought me as a surprise.”
He attended with his brothers Laith, 7, and Qays, 8, his sister Aslya, 3, and his parents Tassern and Asma.
“It is a very well-organised event,” said Ms Aguleh. “It is a great incentive to get the kids here while promoting a healthy lifestyle away from what is now a computer generation.”
Emirati Abdulla Alimeri, 16, rolled up his sleeves as his concentrated on a game of table tennis with a friend in the sun on Saturday.
“I am losing but I am having a great time,” Abdulla said. “A lot of the activities are for kids but there are plenty of things for the adults to do to. It is good for everyone and it promotes exercise and a healthy lifestyle and I support that.”
Among the queue snaked around Trampoline World in the Lizard Zone, Tara Smalley, 30, waited with her friends for a turn.
“I read about the festival in The National and we thought we would give it go,” said the American expatriate.
The stadium was created for families as well as football fans, with one of its major aims being to promote healthy living.
Activities at the Big Kick-Off included breakdancing, BMX biking, stamina training, tennis and basketball.
The three-tiered Hazza bin Zayed Stadium covers 45,000 square metres and has been designed to accommodate those with special needs.
It is part of a larger mixed-use, 500,000 sq metre development that will include an international hotel, restaurants and cafes, residential units, office space and Abu Dhabi’s largest gymnasium.
Several bodies collaborated to organise the event, including Abu Dhabi Media, which publishes The National.
jbell@thenational.ae
