6th Arab Rowing Championships display Egypt's talent

Alexandria, Egypt played host to nine Arab nations during the first weekend of May for the sixth annual FAA Arab Rowing Championships. Not surprisingly Egypt led the medal tally, finishing first in all but three of the 12 events.

Ibtissem Trimech of Tunisia

Upsetting the Egyptian clean sweep was Tunisia who raced to the winning spot when two-time Olympian and World Cup medallist Ibtissem Trimech won both the open and lightweight women’s single. Trimech held off fellow Olympian, Egypt’s Doaa Moussa in the open single and kept ahead of Hafida Chaouch of Algeria in the lightweight single.

Up-and-coming rowing nation Iraq showed solid potential by finishing second in the men’s double and men’s four. Haidar Nozad Hama and Hamza Hussein Jabur finished behind Egypt’s Mostafa Adel and Mohamed Fawzi Eltohamy in the double. Hama and Jabur then teamed up with Ahmed Nozad and Muaid Abdul Latif to finish second behind Egypt in the men’s four.

Most of the Iraqi crew have a sporting background in kayaking but switched to rowing last year although their progress has been limited by a shortage of equipment and having to deal with dangerous war-zone training conditions near Baghdad.

Algeria held their own finishing with four silver medals with Hafida Chaouch leading the way by securing two of those medals – the women’s lightweight single and women’s double.

The recent improvement in rowing in the region was evident in the men’s single when Olympian Mohamed Aich of Algeria could only manage third position behind Egypt’s Mohammad Ab El Ghaffar in first with Mohamed Mhenni of Tunisia finishing second.

The championships also hosted the first ever Arab masters race. Crews from Egypt raced in the men’s eight and four and organisers believe that this is just a start to a growth of masters rowing in the region.

During the championships members from 11 countries took part in the Congress with discussions on organisation of the first FAA Arab Indoor Championships under consideration. Qatar plans to host the event.

The World Rowing team values feedback.

Related stories
Pan Arab Games add rowing
Tunisia stands on the World Cup podium
Six African rowers qualify for the Olympic Games