The Arab Billiards Championships will be held for the first time in the UAE from October 16 to 23 at the Dubai Police Officers Club.
Hosts UAE will be represented by two teams in the competitions which has attracted 13 countries from the region.
This championship organised by the UAE Billiards and Snooker Association (UAEBSA) will be conducted in three categories: 8-ball and 9-ball singles and team championship for Men in addition to the Under-21 event in which UAE’s Khalid Al Kamali won a silver in the singles in Syria last year.
Egypt are the reigning champions in the 8-ball tournament while Kuwait are the defending champions in the 9-ball competition.
Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Iran, Iraq, Palestine, Qatar, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Egypt and Morocco and hosts UAE are the participating countries.
The UAE men’s team comprises Ismail Yaqoob, Mohammed Hossany, Hanee Al Khoori, Imran Salim, Amin Fikree, Khalid Sabah and Majid Za’abee. The UAE junior team will comprise Khalid Al Kamali and Abdullah Juma.
“The team has undergone an internal training camp and fully dedicated to bring glory to UAE in this championship,” said Sultan Al Joker, general secretary of UAEBSA.
He thanked the vice-president of the association and head of the billiards section Abdullah Ahmed Al Khattal for his efforts in promoting the sport and his support for the championship as a sponsor through e-zone
“The squad have been training with top Filipino pool players in the country and will compete in a big tournament at Flamingo Club in Bur Dubai to warm up for the Arab event,” said Tournament Director Ali Mohammed Abdul Kareem who was a member of UAE’s gold medal team at the Arab billiards championship held in Syria in 2003.
UAE have a good record in this competition with Ali Saeed winning the singles gold medal in 2002 and 8-ball singles gold in 2007 in addition to a silver medal in 2005.
Mohammed Maktoum bin Juma Al Maktoum, Chairman of the UAEBSA heads the organising committee which includes Egypt’s Mohammed Komah as head of the technical committee and Qatar’s Waleed Manaee as head of the referees committee.
The championship will begin with an opening ceremony at 7pm on Saturday.
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