The talabat Dubai Schools Games, an initiative by the Dubai Sports Council, has completed Term 1 of its fourth edition. The first term saw 1,739 enthusiastic young athletes compete across a range of both individual and team sports with 5 out of the 6 events at maximum capacity for the students.
The competition fosters youth empowerment, talent development, and a strong sense of community among the schools. The closing ceremonies of Term 1 marked the end of a thrilling chapter in school sports sparking inspiration and motivation among young athletes from both public and private schools across Dubai.
During the first term, young athletes from 83 public and private schools from across the Emirate competed in a range of sporting competitions. Key events saw students participate in golf, netball, rhythmic gymnastics, athletics, archery and cricket at some of the most prestigious sporting locations in the city. This impressive array of sport and the very best venues underscores the value placed on young athletes by Dubai Sports Council and the talabat Dubai Schools Games to inspire the next generation.
Ahmed Salem Al Mahri, Director of the Sports Development Department at the Dubai Sports Council, said: “The Dubai Schools Games are one of the most important initiatives to which the Dubai Sports Council pays great attention because of its major role in supporting the program for selecting and developing sports talents and the Olympic Champions Makers Project. The Dubai Schools Games provide the opportunity for the largest number of School students, male and female, to participate in the largest sports tournament competitions of its kind, as participation in it is free for all schools and for different ages, nationalities, groups, and physical levels, starting from the age of 9 years until the age of 19 years. The tournament is an opportunity for school students to highlight their talents and athletic abilities, as a selection program is implemented in it. Talents from all sports. Representatives of Dubai clubs are also present at the competitions to select talented people, register them, and follow up on the development of their performance and levels. The organizing committee is working to create a sports file for each male or female player who is registered in the course so that he or she can benefit from it during his transition to the university stage and joining sports clubs in order to Playing at the professional level.”
Simonida Subotic, Vice President and Managing Director, talabat UAE added: “We are proud to partner with Dubai Schools Games, alongside Dubai Sports Council and ESM and have witnessed the remarkable achievements of the students during the initial term. This initiative resonates with our core values at talabat, sports and sharing a meal bring people together – sport is for everyone, talabat is for everyone. We look forward to the rest of the season at some of the city’s top sporting facilities.”
Pippa Clark, Managing Director, ESM – organizers of talabat Dubai Schools Games said: “Whilst the addition of the leader board this year adds a competitive level of excitement, the talabat Dubai Schools Games is about far more than simply which school comes top at the end of the year. Sport is an essential part of child-development. Research has shown that children that play sports have lower anxiety levels, greater self-confidence and improved cognitive performance, and there is a clear link between participation in school sports and educational attainment. The talabat Dubai School Games is a mechanism through which we inspire children to get involved in sport and encourage an active, healthy lifestyle that sets them up for life.”
The tournament sees schools competing for points in each event. At the end of Term 1, the Primary School Leaderboard includes Jumeirah Primary School, Sunmarke School and GEMS Modern Academy. The Secondary School tournament sees another competitive podium as GEMS Modern Academy sit in first place, GEMS World Academy are second and GEMS Wellington Academy, Silicon Oasis sit in third place.
There’s still all to play for and Term 2 has recently kick-started and is now underway with exciting competitions for a range of other sports such as volleyball, padel, swimming, cycling, basketball, badminton, tennis and more! The competition promises a range of sports to suit all students and abilities, encouraging a healthy, active and balanced lifestyle for young people. The remainder of the tournament will run until the completion of Term 3 on 26th June 2024. Schools and parents can find out more online at https://www.dubaischoolsgames.ae/