Zayed Sports City, the premier sports and entertainment venue in the UAE, has affirmed its position as a global sporting destination by hosting this year's World Bowling Championship, after having first hosted the event in the capital 15 years ago.
Zayed Sports City's Khalifa International Bowling Centre was custom built for the competition in 1999, and it is the only venue to have hosted the World Bowling Championship twice.
Abu Dhabi's unprecedented second successful bid to host tenpin bowling's most prestigious competition at Zayed Sports City is testament to the UAE's emergence as the region's bowling capital. With the popularity of the sport growing in the UAE, 273 competitors from 39 countries travelled to Abu Dhabi to take part, with a team of six participants coming from the Emirates.
Speaking about the event, H.H. Sheikh Nahyan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Sports Council, commented, "It is a great honour for Abu Dhabi to host this global sporting event in our world-class bowling facility at Zayed Sports City. Bowling is fast becoming one of the most enjoyed sports in the UAE, and one which the whole family can take part in.
At this year's event, we were treated to a wonderful spectacle of intense competition and thrilling excitement for all to enjoy at our ultimate bowling destination." As further evidence of the country's passion for the sport, Emirati tenpin bowler, Shaker Ali Al Hassan, won a silver medal in the singles division. Sheikh Nahyan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Patron of the event and Chairman of Abu Dhabi Sports Council, congratulated the winner and admired his efforts.
In addition to the excitement the event brought to the capital, the economy has also received a boost. Over 3,000 rooms were booked at the event hotels while the competition took place. The worldwide coverage of the World Bowling Championship has also helped to raise the international profile of Abu Dhabi, further positioning it as a world-class event destination.
President of Emirates Bowling Federation and winner of the 1988 World Bowling Tour, Mohammed Khalifa Al Qubaisi, said, "The Khalifa International Bowling Centre at Zayed Sports City has been the focal point of UAE bowling for over 15 years. It has been the location where we have nurtured the best young talent and developed local competitors into world champions.
International athletes taking part in this year's competition have all acknowledged the facilities here to be on a par with any other bowling centres globally." The competition, which was organised by World Bowling, supported by Emirates Bowling Federation and Abu Dhabi Sports Council and sponsored by the Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority, included categories for singles, doubles, trios and a team event. The master's competition, which featured the top 24 bowlers in the tournament competing to be crowned the overall champion, was won by Korea's Kang Heewon.
Source: WAM