Pan Arab Games Add Rowing

Tipiza rowing course
© FISA

Rowing now has a place in the All Arab Games as the tenth edition wrapped up in Algiers, Algeria.

The debut took place one hour from the host city, Algeria’s capital of Algiers over a 1000 metre course on the Boukerdene Dam in Tipaza. The facility was made possible by the national budget and the help of local authorities plus FISA’s development consultant Michel Doutre.

Five countries sent rowers (out of a possible nine) including Algeria, Egypt, Iraq, Kuwait and Tunisia with the programme including lightweight men’s single and double as well as open men’s and women’s single and double.

The men’s single was won by Egypt’s three-time Olympian Ali Ibrahim who comes off the back of finishing fourteenth at Athens. Ibrahim stayed ahead of Iraq’s Heidar Nozad. Former kayaker Nozad has been training for just over six months and it was a surprise to see him ahead of Mohamed Mohene of Tunisia who qualified for the Athens Olympics but was unable to go.

Mohene also competed in the men’s lightweight single finishing third behind twenty-three year old Mohamed Aich who won in front of his home crowd with Egypt’s Adbou Abbas Abou ElMagued in second. Aich first competed internationally six years ago and competed at his first Olympic Games this year.
Egypt’s medal collection continued in the men’s lightweight double when Mohamed AbdelMootey ElSaid and Hossam ElDin Ramadan Issa stayed just ahead of Algeria to win.

Egypt’s rowing success contributed to the overall All Arab Games medal tally with Egypt finishing at the top of the table.

A minimum of four entries were necessary for an event to take place so the three entries in the women’s single from Algeria, Egypt and Tunisia were accepted to compete in a demonstration race.

The Games were originally planned for 2003 but were postponed for a year after an earthquake struck Algeria in May last year. Three thousand athletes from 22 countries participated this year with the next games taking place in four years time.

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