The fifth stage of the UAE Archery League concluded in a thrilling atmosphere over February 15 and 16, 2025, at the Higher Colleges of Technology in Sharjah. The event saw participation from Sharjah Women’s Sports Club, Fujairah Martial Arts Club, Abu Dhabi Archery Club, D’Archers, and Al Nasr on the first day, with Mushrif Academy replacing Al Nasr on the final day. The championship highlighted significant progress in the skill levels of the female archers, reflecting in the impressive results across different categories.

Strong Start with Impressive Wins on Day One

The first day featured intense competition among the five clubs, with Hessa Al Awadhi shining in the women’s recurve category, claiming first place, followed by Fatma Al Baloushi in second place, and Sinhala Devkar securing third.

In the recurve under-18 category, Marwa Al Serkal grabbed the gold medal, with Sara Al Baloushi taking silver, and Noora Al Mazmi earning bronze.

In the women’s compound category, Amina Al Awadhi continued her remarkable performance by winning the gold medal, while Sara Al Mazmi excelled in the compound under-18 category, showcasing her promising talent with a first-place finish.

Day Two Maintains Momentum with More Victories

The second day of the championship maintained the high level of competition, with Salama Al Ali winning silver in the under-12 recurve category. In the under-15 recurve category, Samia Odineva displayed outstanding abilities, clinching first place, with Shahd Jawhar finishing second.

In the under-12 compound category, Mouza Al Shamsi secured the gold medal, followed by Alya Al Shamsi in second place, and Shamma Al Shamsi in third, underscoring the emergence of a young, ambitious generation striving for more achievements.

Coach Elena Lapsina: Commitment and Training Pay Off

Elena Lapsina, head coach of archery at Sharjah Women’s Sports Club, praised the outstanding performance of the athletes, noting that the team dominated the podiums on the first day, demonstrating their dedication to training and preparation for competitions.

She highlighted the remarkable progress shown by the younger age groups, with many athletes breaking their personal records and showing significant improvement, signaling a bright future for the club. Lapsina emphasized that these results reflect the quality of the training programs, expressing her confidence in the team’s potential to achieve more milestones.

Athletes Reflect on Their Achievements

Fatma Al Baloushi, who won silver in the women’s recurve category, expressed her satisfaction with her performance, noting the high level of competition that pushed her to give her best effort: "I am proud of what I achieved in this stage. Every championship is an opportunity to learn and improve, and I thank the coaching staff and my teammates for their support, which helps us all achieve our best."

Hessa Al Awadhi, who clinched the gold medal in the women’s recurve, shared her joy over the achievement, describing it as the result of continuous hard work: "Winning this championship is a huge motivation for me to keep working hard, train more, and prepare for the upcoming stages. I am grateful to the coaching staff who provided us with the ideal environment to perform at our best on the field."

Future Plans and Preparation for the Final Stage

These results reflect the high commitment and effort demonstrated by the athletes and coaching staff at Sharjah Women’s Sports Club, underscoring the continuous development of archery at the club. The competitions provided a platform to showcase the athletes' passion and desire to improve from stage to stage, evident in their advanced performance and high skill level throughout the championship.

The coaches are now analyzing the results, evaluating performance, and developing training plans to enhance technical and physical readiness, gearing up for the next stages of the league and upcoming international competitions.

This fifth stage marked the last step before the league’s final round, where the results of all five stages will be combined to determine the finalists. According to the tournament rules, the top four athletes in each category will advance to the final stage, based on their cumulative performance in the previous rounds.

The upcoming decisive stage will offer the athletes a critical opportunity to compete for the top positions in the overall standings, highlighting the importance of maintaining peak physical and technical preparedness in the weeks ahead.