The Dubai School Games have expanded this year, boasting 9,000 participants and introducing several new sports, including Olympic disciplines like fencing and handball. For the first time, skiing and wall climbing have also been added.
The 2024-25 season, launched under the patronage of the Dubai Sports Council, kicked off on Wednesday, October 16, with a Golf Championship and will run until June 26. Registration and participation for all events is free.
Different stakeholders highlighted the role of accessibility in sports, ensuring that every student, regardless of background or ability, can participate, excel, and compete at some of Dubai’s most iconic venues, including Emirates Golf Club, Dubai Duty-Free Tennis Stadium, World Padel Academy, Dubai Sports World, and the Hamdan Sports Complex.
Ahmed Salem Al Mahri, director of Sports Development at the Dubai Sports Council, said, “We are very happy with the growth witnessed by the tournament each year, as it has succeeded in attracting more than 180 public and private schools competing in 22 different competitions like cricket, football, tennis, handball, fencing among many others. Therefore, this tournament plays a fundamental role in achieving the objectives of our policy to attract and develop sporting talent launched by the Dubai Sports Council, in translation of the directives of the Dubai Government in the field of attracting and developing talents in all specialisations.”
He pointed out that school sports tournaments represent the first foundational stages in the process of selecting and developing sporting talent before joining clubs.
So, the tournament is a leading platform for creating future champions in various sports.
In the 2024 Dubai Schools Games, awards recognise top schools under two categories. These will be titled ‘2024-25 Dubai Schools Games Champion – Primary’ and ‘2024-25 Dubai Schools Games Champion Secondary’.
He added, “It enhances the Council’s efforts to empower young and junior athletes by developing sports in the school sector and emphasizes the pivotal role played by schools in developing the sports movement in the country as the base of a correct sports pyramid. This tournament provides an opportunity for our clubs to select the best talents and include them in the teams in various sporting disciplines.”
Dr Abdulrahman Nasser, chief executive officer of Business Support Sector at Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) noted that schools are the base of the sports pyramid, because sports start from this age group.
He said, “We are happy to be part of this great event that succeeded in gathering all these numbers of participants from public and private schools.”
Operational partners of the event also stressed that this year’s DSG represents a leap forward in their mission to integrate sports deeply into the educational fabric of Dubai.
Marco Vocale, commercial director of ESM, and the organisers of DSG, said, “With the addition of new Olympic disciplines, we’re not just hosting a competition but building a legacy. The DSG Leaderboard celebrates competitive excellence, recognising schools’ outstanding performances. Awards in the 2024-25 season included Team Sports Awards for Primary and Secondary schools and the Rising Stars Awards. This year’s edition will see the continuation of Dubai School Games Records for selected events making these games more exciting and competitive.”
This season’s grand finale will feature the Unified Games — an inclusive event designed for students of determination.
“The event reflects DSG’s commitment to uniting students of all abilities in a celebration of sportsmanship, inclusion, and unity,” he added.
Additionally, the Games will take place at some of the most well-known sporting locations in the city, including the Hamdan Sports Complex for swimming, Dubai Sports World for basketball, badminton, and unified games, Dubai Duty-Free Tennis Stadium for tennis, Al Nasr Sports Club for football, and the iconic Expo City Dubai for cycling.
Meanwhile, the strategic alliance between different retail partners like Midea, Almarai and Dubai Schools Games adds further excitement to the annual event with planned engagement activities that’ll take place for parents and children alike, to enjoy during the games.
Paris Li, general manager of Midea Appliances Middle East and Africa, said, “We will track all the families who’ve registered and have consistently come to cheer their children. Then there’ll be a raffle draw at the end, during the final ceremony in June and a few families will be awarded a huge full range of appliances for cheering their children.”
© Khaleej Times
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