Attended by Abdulwahab Raweh, the Minister of Youth and Sport, the Fifth
Republic Athletics championship which was held between November 29 to December
2. This Championship took place at the international athletics racetrack
for the first time, the track was inaugurated in Al-Thawra Sports city
in Sana'a last September.
The Aden team had the upper hand throughout the match and the Shaab team
of Dhamar fell back after being a strong competitor. Aden team won the
gold medals of the 400-m competition and javelin throwing and 4, 100-m
running medals. The Sana'a team won a gold in the long jump, a1500-m gold
as well as 100-m gold.
The games included long jumping, 1400-m and 4x100m - 5000m/1000m, javelin
and discus throwing
Football Series Starts Between Schools
SAM school played a football match, December 3rd against the Pakastani
school ending in final score of 11 to 7 for the hosts. At the first half
the score was 5 to 2; goals being scored by Salim, Ahmed and Muein for
SAM and Ali Khalifa for the Pakastani school. The second half of the game
was topped by SAM school's Ameen who knocked in three goals of the six.
Credit should also be given to the visitors and Yasser who scored 3 of
the 5 goals for that period. Appreciation is given to the trainers; Ms.
Lama from the visiting team team and Ms. Loai Sabri from the hosts.
Taekwondo Champ
Speaks of
Hopes & Aspirations
Taekwondo
for Waddah started as a hobby in 1992 when he began training for two hours
a day under the coach Mutahar Al-Adhri at Al-Wahda Club in Sanaa. "My
father encouraged me immensely," says Waddah, adding, "taekwondo
is a form of self defense which must never be used against innocent people."
Due to financial reasons, his initial training sessions were rather intermittent.
Many taekwondo enthusiasts in Yemen had to abandon the game for lack of
financial resources and training facilities.
Waddah complained that several invitations to take part in international
competition went unanswered by the Yemeni sports authorities for lack of
finance. "That is why I took part in very few competitions abroad."
He also indicated that the available training facilities are far below
the accepted international standards. "We train on concrete or grass
which puts at a disadvantage when we play on compressed plastic, we cannot
move easily."
Waddah has often taken part in international or regional competitions
using his own resources, and traveling unaccompanied by a doctor or a coach
like other world players do. "I do it for Yemen."
Waddah achieved second position in the international championship held
in Iran in 1994. "If it weren't for my injury, I would have been able
to get gold."
Waddah is honored by the Ministry of Youth and Sports on Monday, December
8th, for defeating the Kuwaiti opponent. He is also financially awarded
by the ministry and the Yemen Olympic Committee.
Waddah will be going to south Korea to train for six months in preparation
for the world taekwondo championship to be held in July, 1998, in the Philippines.
