MKC tournament brings alive Fujairah during Ramadan

The Maktoum Ramadan Sports Championship (MKC) which got under way at the Fujairah Tennis and Country Club on Friday night is a wonderful occasion for all members of the community to enjoy the Holy month positively, said a top official. Sheikh Maktoum bin Hamad Al Sharqi officially declared open the fourth edition of the championship by attending several sports event. “The vision of Sheikh Maktoum is to bring people together and to have these events during Ramadan is for people to go out and enjoy. I think it’s a positive thing,” said Ross Brawn, director of the MKC tournament and general manager of Fujairah Tennis and Country Club speaking to Emirates 24|7 . “It’s a wonderful thing and it’s all happening – his vision to bring all different nationalities together through sports,” said Brawn on the two-week long tournament which has 24 events. “It’s a very good thing at this time of the year. It’s a real release for everybody concerned during Ramadan,” he said. Sand drag racing and squash are the newest events in this tournament which also has chess, tennis, basketball, motocross, cricket, sand volleyball and sand football apart from other fun games. “It’s all very exciting but to be honest I would like to see more kids here. We’ve got all sorts of games for kids under 12,” said Brawn. The chess competition in its third year had attracted 22 entries. “We expect some top class competition,” said Waleid Rabei Mesmari, manager of the chess event. Head of the table tennis events Aaref Suwaidan was surprised at the standard of competition on the opening day. Basketball tournament manager Guimo Gonzalez said this year’s was the most competitive with 12 teams in the fray. “Now teams are coming from outside Fujairah also because they believe in the standard of competition,” said Gonzalez, who has been residing in Fujairah for more than two decades. His brother Ernie who came down from Manila for this tournament also sees a big improvement in the standard of competition. Abu Dhabi team defeat Knight Riders comprising Americans 78-53 while Sharjah overcame Ras Al Khaimah 95-54 on the opening day. Taekwondo organiser Eid Fairooz Mesmari said six teams were in the fray including his charges from Fujairah Boxing and Taekwondo Club in addition to clubs from Sharjah and Dubai. Fitness Director of Fujairah Tennis and Country Club Vivian Kanaan has created Corporate Games which is a team relay event. “It is a team building event. It is fun and challenging and just as exciting to watch as it is to participate,” said Kanaan of the event which has attracted 21 teams of four players to vie for total prize money of Dh9,000 riding tricycles and tackling other hilarious activities.