Fourteen Issue 010 EN

elevate your style, spirit & workout 10

@elevatewear_ 10

09 06 2017

the sports journal

F EAT U R ES

WARM-UP 03

interview

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of the month

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Motocross champion and Red bull athlete, Mohammed Jaafar Fourteen’s selection of the month

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news

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ready to strike

recap

Interim president of the KFA asks PM Ashour to inquire about who caused the sports ban.

some history

“Field Day,” a mixed sporting event organized by schools in the 50’s that created some of the best Kuwaiti athletes such as Ali Al Nassar.

Front Cover: -Above: Jalil Marvin

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Al-Shamlan ranked 4th in the world in the International Fencing Federation (FIE) Sabre Weapon Youth Ranking.

Up and coming Muay Thai and Kickboxing wonderkid Shamlan Al Othman on his beginnings and latest fight in Bahrain.

first of many

Bronze medalist, Nadia Al Haqqan, about her experience at the Arab Athletics Championship in Tunisia and how to move forward with nowhere to train.

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RECOVERY 31

sports science

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the event

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university athletics

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featured ad

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the gym ad

Faisal Al Shawa offers tips on how improving your sleep hygiene Al Qadsiya and Kuwait SC face off again in the Kuwait Super Cup final.

An overview of UAAK

AC Milan LOYAC Soccer School opens its doors on the 17th of September.

[Lyfe] Cycle spin studio

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THE INTERVIEW

Mohammed Jaafar K u w a i t i a n d G CC M o t o c r o s s c h a m p i o n a n d Re d b u l l a t h l e t e M o h a m m e d J a a f a r h a s won over 9 regional MX1, MX2, and Endurance races.

Who is your all-time favorite athlete? Mohammed Al Bloushi - he has revolutionized Motocross in Kuwait and the GCC 3 people you would invite to dinner (dead or alive)? Tupac Shakur, Ricky Carmichael. Salem Al Mutairi The most underrated athlete in Kuwait? Abdullah Mekhlad Al Otaibi - he has accomplished quite a lot in Karate and has not received the attention nor support that he deserves.

The best racer that you have competed against? The best racer, and was proud to be in the same race as, is the legendary Marc Coma, who has won Dakar 5 times. I was behind him throughout the entire race until I crashed and he carried on.

Bader Al Sarraf

A sport you dislike watching or playing? This is going to upset a lot of people, but I really don’t like watching football. Even as a kid I never liked it. If we had a P.E. class and the teacher took out a football, I would hide.

What scared you most as a child?

When I was a kid, my older brother would always scare me by telling me that at night our late grandmother would come out from behind the door.

Favorite Movie? The hurricane.

Before every race, you listen to…?

Survival of the Fittest by Mobb Deep Favorite holiday destination? Goa, I love it because it’s very relaxing. It’s very simple, the people are down to

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earth, and I just feel very comfortable there. I don’t get tired of going to Goa because I can rent a bike and just drive around.

If you weren’t a Motocross athlete, you would’ve attempted...? Boxing.

Even though I have never tried it, my friends always tell me I look like someone you would want to hit! I don’t know why!

If you were stuck on an island which restaurant would you take with you? Three items you bring along? One person to keep you company? Hardees - I don’t mind eating it everyday. My phone, a phone charger, and a mattress.

My wife, because she is the only one that can put up with me. She has been my number one supporter for the past 10 years.

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OF THE MONTH

NUMBER OF THE MONTH

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On the 7th of September, Al Kuwait will play against Al Qadsiya in the tenth Super Cup Final at Jaber Al Ahmad International Stadium.

Historically Al Qadsiya Club have won the Super Cup four times and Al Kuwait SC have won the cup 3 times.

TWEET OF THE MONTH “After me, let the deluge come.

This is was the slogan used against the 24 referees” @alanezi965 - Abdulhadi Al Enizi - 28/8/2017

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QUOTE OF THE MONTH

“Thank you to each of the eleven clubs that have finally taken the initiative and c0me together to help lift the sports ban”” Ahmed Nabeel Al Fadhel - Al Rai Newspaper

FLOP OF THE MONTH Nady Al Fatat sports club’s administration issued an official warning letter to t h e i r v o l l e y b a l l p l ay e r Jumana Assad for speaking out against the club on social media. Unfortunately, the letter sent to Jumana addressed her as a “Tennis Volley player” and not a volleyball player.

TOP OF THE MONTH Kuwait’s national team fencer Yousef Al Shamlan has a new record for Kuwait in the sport of fencing. Al Shamlan has climbed up the International Fencing Federation’s (FIE) youth ranking and is now ranked 4th.

Left: Courtesy of Yousef Al Shamlan

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RECAP

“Why don’t you ask who caused the sports ban?”

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awaz Al-Hassawi, head of the interim committee in charge of the football federation’s affairs, expressed his thanks and appreciation to MP Saleh Ashour for his interest in sports - but wishes he had asked the Minister of Commerce and Industry, and acting Minister if Youth Affiars, Khaled Al-Roudhan, who was behind the sports ban.

On his personal twitter account, Al-Hassawi stated, “I wish MP Saleh Ashour would also ask the minister about the cause of the sports ban.”

Ashour posed a parliamentary question to Al-Roudhan, beginning, “A decision was issued by the chairman of the interim committee responsible for running the Kuwaiti Football Federation to suspend more than

Courtesy of ITV.com

20 referees.” He proceeded to ask, “Please provide me with a copy of the formal decision of suspension, including the person who issued the decision, the duration of the suspension, the reasons for the suspension, and whether an investigational commission was formed.” Ashour also asked Al-Roudhan to confirm whether the referees in question submitted an official letter to the Chairman of the Interim Committee and Chairman of the Referees Committee to explain their point of view. In addition, he wanted to know if the referees in question were interviewed to find out the reason behind their official request.

Ashour further pressed Al-Roudhan and asked, “ The referees in question have met with you to explain the reasons for the suspension and

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explained their point of view, what actions have you taken after the interview?”

In another story, the former head of the Kuwait Football Association Sheikh Ahmed Al-Yusuf said he had not made a decision on whether or not he will accept the presidency of the next interim committee. The previous interim committee’s period, headed by Fawaz Al Hassawi, ended on the 25th of August. Al-Yusuf is still studying the situation as a whole, and is seeking to hold a meeting with a number of members of the General Assembly.

In a statement to al-Rai newspaper, Al-Yusuf said that once he returns to Kuwait, he will work hard with the FIFA and AFC to lift the suspension of Kuwaiti football.

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SOME HISTORY

1950/51 Field Day

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li Nasser throwing the Javelin at his school’s “Field Day”. In 1950-1951, schools organized a sports day called “Field Day” for students across the country. The event was held in “Al Qabli” field and the main

Courtesy of abuljebain.com

organizer was Mr. Mousa Hamdan, from the Ministry of Education. Over time, “Field Day” became an annual event, with physical education teachers beginning to compete amongst themselves by diversifying the various activities practiced on “Field Day”.

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“One can say that Ali Nasser was the top athlete in those years, because he practiced most team sports and competed in track and field. He played for the national team and, at that time, the best players came from Al Mubarakiya high-school athletics.”

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Kuwait

WE CREATE

PLAYERS REGISTER NOW! September

17th SEASON STARTS

AGE GROUP 4+

@ACMILANKUWAIT

W W W. A C M I L A N K U W A I T . C O M

NEWS

A new fencing record for Kuwait Yo u s e f A l - S h a m l a n r a n k s f o u r t h i n t h e w o r l d

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reaping the benefits of the youth program Abdulkareem Al Shamlan, the National team coach, explained that this unprecedented achievement is proof that Kuwait is a leader in the world of fencing. Thanks to such success, Kuwait is now able to participate with more players in international competitions, according to the FIE. The coach highlighted that this accomplishment is the result of years of investment in the youth, by both the Fencing Federation and Public Authority for Sports (PAS). He added that the national team, in all its age groups, would not have been able to accomplish anything if not for the support of PAS. The youth program developed by the Fencing Federation and PAS aims to help players qualify for the next summer Olympic games, hopefully bringing home a medal for Kuwait.

etting a new fencing record for Kuwait is Yousef Al Shamlan, the Kuwaiti National Team member ranked 4th in the world in the International Fencing Federation’s (FIE) sabre weapon youth ranking. The youngster has managed to outdo his older sibling Bandar, who previously carried the highest ranking ever held by a Kuwaiti athlete at 5th place only two years ago. As a result, Al Shamlan will automatically qualify for the Fencing Coupe du Monde and Asian games, skipping the qualification rounds altogether. The fencing star expressed his gratitude to everyone that has supported him thus far, saying, “I owe everything I have accomplished to Kuwait, the coaching staff, and administration. If it wasn’t for their invaluable and ongoing support, I would not have had this success.”

Courtesy of Yousef Al Shamlan

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THE MOMENT

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ibrahim al dafiri A general view in the Men’s 800 meters during day two of the 16th IAAF World Athletics Championships London 2017 at The London Stadium on August 5, 2017 in London, United Kingdom.

Patrick Smith | Getty Images

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Ibrahim Al Dafiri taking a moment to pray before competing in the heats of the men’s 800m athletics event at the 2017 IAAF World Championships at the London Stadium in London on August 5, 2017.

Ben Stansall | Getty Images

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The first lap of the mens 800m heats during day two of the 16th IAAF World Athletics Championships London 2017.

Daniel Leal-Olivas | Getty Images

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The final lap of the mens 800m heats during day two of the 16th IAAF World Athletics Championships London 2017 at The London Stadium on August 5, 2017 in London, United Kingdom.

Shaun Botterill | Getty Images

Ibrahim Al Dafiri of Kuwait, Elliot Giles of Great Britain, Isaiah Harris of the United States and Ferguson Cheruiyot Rotich of Kenya making up the first four places during the Men’s 800 metres heats during day two of the 16th IAAF World Athletics Championships London 2017 at The London Stadium on August 5, 2017 in London, United Kingdom.

Richard Heathcote | Getty Images

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READY TO STRIKE

READY TO STRIKE Up and coming Muay Thai and Kickboxing wonderkid on his beginnings An inter view with Shamlan Al Othman

Jalil Marvin

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t 19 years of age, Shamlan Al Othman has practiced more sports than the average person would play in a lifetime. Having started out swimming, later moving on to gymnastics, football, Judo, and boxing, Shamlan has found himself in martial arts. He has quickly become one of the most promising MMA and kickboxing athletes in the nation, recently winning a gold medal in Bahrain at his latest kickboxing competition. Shamlan sat down with Fourteen to talk about his path through the sports world and his belief that there are more wins where that came from.

where it all began

At 16 years old, I started boxing at Al Arabi Club, but quickly gave it up as I learned that there was little to no support given to the sport - meaning there was no way I would ever get to compete in an international competition.

Instead, I found out that there was a mixed martial arts (MMA) competition being held in Kuwait and thought I would give it a try. I loved it! Since then, I have drifted away from boxing and moved towards martial arts. I was able to utilize my previous training experiences to compete in various competitions within Kuwait, such as kickboxing, jiu jitsu, and muay thai.

Thanks to my coach Mr. Tareq, a veteran boxing referee and a kickboxing coach, I was able to make my transition from boxing to mixed martial arts.

He trained a group of us who practiced at the Palms, and with Coach Tareq, we represented Palms as a team from 2015-2016. Later, I decided to narrow my focus to two sports, which were Kickboxing and muay thai, and received a sponsorship offer from my current gym, Empower 31.

m u ay t h a i

Out of all the martial arts sports that I have practiced, my favorite has to be muay thai. After participating in muay thai competitions in Kuwait,

Jalil Marvin

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during 2015 I was called up to play for the national team. They sent me to a training camp in Thailand to prepare for competing in international competitions. I got to experience firsthand muay thai at its best.

At the training camp, I was surrounded by muay thai - it’s all you do and it’s all you see other people do. I lived the life of a muay thai fighter. I used to wake up early in the morning, have breakfast, and head to training. When I was done with my first training, I had a second one right after it. Practices were ruthless - everyone around you in practice came from different backgrounds and were at different levels of the game. There was no mercy, no stopping, no breaks. It was one session

Jalil Marvin

“ Pra ct ic e s we r e ruthle s s - eve r yone ar ound you in p rac tic e c ame f rom diffe r e nt b a ck gr ounds a nd w e r e at dif f erent leve ls of the game .”

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after the other. That environment, and the lifestyle we had in Thailand, made me fall in love with muay thai.

After my training was completed, I participated in an international tournament, host to a total of 38 countries, and finished in 3rd place. In my featherweight class quarterfinal match, I was up against a Thai fighter, while in the semifinal I fought against a Russian fighter and lost. I could have beaten the Russian fighter and won first place, but I was just too tired and my body couldn’t continue. I learned a valuable lesson that time, because my diet was all over the place my body didn’t have the energy it needed to keep fighting. However, it was a good fight, I gained a lot of experience, and

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the atmosphere was unforgettable going back to the tournament is what keeps me motivated every day.

nutrition goals

Working towards a goal doesn’t just involve training, but lifestyle changes as well. Several times in the past, I have lost or underperformed because my body would run out of fuel and couldn’t continue. As a result, I have started meticulously watching what I eat and adhering to what my nutritionist recommends. Faisal Al Shawa, founder of Believe Nutrition, has completely changed my game. Since working with him, I’ve noticed a huge difference in how I perform. For example, during my most recent competition in Lebanon, the amount of energy I had left after finishing two fights felt like I hadn’t been in the ring at all that day.

Not only have I been able to renew my energy levels, but working with Faisal Al Shawa has made my injury recovery time faster than ever before.

bahrain knockout

I flew to Bahrain to take part in a competition organized by the Bahrain Mixed Martial Arts Federation (BMMAF), with participants mainly from the GCC and Arab world. There were around 60 competitors from Kuwait, competing in muay thai, jiu jitsu, MMA and kickboxing. In my weight class, I had one opponent and was able to knock him out in the first round. It’s these types of wins that motivate me to work harder, gain more experience, and achieve more.

w o r d to t h e w i s e

I am so grateful for the sponsors that are currently supporting me in my journey. I think it is vital for corporations to understand the importance of supporting athletes in Kuwait, be it through financial sponsorship or helping to build cutting edge facilities. Support translates into wins, and at the end of the day, when I’m in the ring, I’m not only representing myself, I’m representing my family, my friends, and my country.

Jalil Marvin

“When I’m in the ring, I’m not o n l y r e p r e s e n t i n g m y s e l f, I ’ m r e p r e s e n t i n g m y f a m i l y, m y f r i e n d s , a n d m y c o u n t r y. ” 19

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THE MOMENT

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abdulaziz al mandeel Abdulaziz Al Mandeel competes beside Devon Allen of the United States in the Men’s 110 metres hurdles heats during day three of the 16th IAAF World Athletics Championships London 2017 at The London Stadium on August 6, 2017 in London, United Kingdom.

Richard Heathcote | Getty Images

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FIRST OF MANY

C ATC H M E

F I R S T O F M A N Y Bronze medalist talks about her experience at the Arab Athletics Championship and how to move forward with nowhere to train An inter view with Nadia Al Haqqan

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eptathlon is a unique sport comprised of 7 different t ra c k a n d f i e l d e v e n t s .

Female heptathletes compete in the 200m, 800m, shotput, javelin, 100m hurdles, long jump, and high jump. Through these events and races, heptathletes gain points added towards an overall ranking of the combined events. Shotput player turned heptathlete Nadia Al Haqqan is one of Kuwait’s few female heptathletes and winner of the bronze medal at her first ever participation in the Arab Athletics Championship.

Jalil Marvin

1 ST MEDAL

“It was something else. The level of competition was not only better than I expected, it was the best I have ever seen. This was the first time I’ve competed in the open age category, as in the past I’ve only competed in the youth category. I was very proud simply for competing at that level, let alone winning a medal.”

“We flew there with no expectations. Our coach told us to just make the best of the experience and not let our heads drop if we didn’t do well.

Because we haven’t competed in 2 years, that means I haven’t practiced or participated in a high jump event since the 2015 Indoor Athletic

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overall ranking -- every step, every jump. The competition runs over 2 days and heptathletes compete in all 7 events during those 48 hours.

It is a true test of athletic strength, speed, and endurance. Nadia competed in two events on the afternoon of the first day, with two more events following that evening. She completed her remaining three events the next morning, taking a only a short break of 45 minutes between each. “ That’s the nature of the sport,” Nadia explains, “heptathletes always start their training before the other athletes and our training lasts longer than the rest, because we must train while we’re fatigued. We have to train our bodies to keep going even when you’re exhausted from the other events.”

Further elaborating on the practice schedule, Nadia says, “I would run for the entire practice and then when I was finally done and am exhausted, the coach would ask me to do a high jump exercise!”

“ We have to train our bodies to keep going even when you’re e x h a u s t e d f r o m t h e o t h e r e v e n t s .”

Games in Qatar.” When asked why that was the case, Nadia explained that, “we don’t have the right facilities to practice all 7 sports, and Salwa Al Sabah Club is the only club that has heptathletes in Kuwait, so who would we compete with?”

forget about that and just give it your all. At certain points, you get nervous because you have flashbacks of practices where you slacked off or cut corners, but once you get to the stadium all of that doesn’t matter.”

Nadia went on to note, “whether you are fully prepared and you’re a 100% ready or not, you have to

In heptathlons, there is no qualifying phase and starting day one, every event counts towards an athlete’s

Jalil Marvin

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Having worked very hard to ensure she did not underperform in any of her events, Nadia was very proud of her overall performance. All of her results were either new records, personal bests, or her usual scores.

She broke the Kuwaiti record with an impressive 9.80m in shotput, and scored a personal best (PB) of 28m in the javelin event. She was rightfully proud of her PB, saying, “my javelin result was an accomplishment for me, because I used to hate the javelin. I spent 2 years at the club learning and practicing the proper technique to throw the javelin.” The bronze medalist continued to say, “perfecting the technique of throwing the javelin was difficult for me.

Imagine, there was a 14-year-old girl with us in the club that would throw much further than I would, because it’s not about strength, it’s about the technique.”

The significance of her accomplishment, the weight of winning the bronze medal at such a critical competition, had not sunk in until Nadia

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“ Whether you are fully prepared and you’re a 100% ready or not, you have to forget about that and just g i v e i t y o u r a l l .” returned to Kuwait. “I had no idea.

In Tunisia, it felt great to be on the podium and I was proud, but I didn’t realize how important it was ‘till I came back. I received letters from HH the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmed Al Jaber Al Sabah and HH the Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al Ahmed Al Jaber Al Sabah. Only then did I notice how much of a big deal this was.”

Moreover, Nadia was surprised by the amount of positive feedback and support she received on social media “I didn’t get a single negative

Jalil Marvin

comment or any criticism which made me very happy, because there are people in Kuwait that are against women’s participation in sports.”

INADEQUATE FACILITIES AND SUPPORT

Nadia went back to training the day after she arrived in Kuwait, though unfortunately in this case, training looks a little different than one might imagine. “We don’t have a track in the club so I practice on a treadmill,” Nadia stated. Other

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sports clubs have rejected proposals from Salwa Al Sabah Club to use their facilities for training, so Nadia opts for the next best thing, her indoor treadmill. In the past, Nadia was able to take advantage of her time as a student at the American University of the Middle East (AUM) and use their track for practices.

However, as Nadia graduated this summer, she no longer can access their facilities which has left her training schedule in shambles. Her club has sent a formal request to

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“ W e d o n’ t h a v e a t r a c k i n t h e c l u b s o I p r a c t i c e o n a t r e a d m i l l .” practice at a school in Shamiya, a request which Nadia is hopeful will resolve the issue of training as there remains a lot of work to be done.

Since winning bronze, her coach has taken her practice routine to entirely new level. “We have schedules now!” Nadia says, “She gives us printed schedules and training programs for our practices.

She is very excited and wants to help us improve and reach new

Jalil Marvin

levels.” Their instructor from Tunisia coaches all 15 track and field sports on her own. While it is difficult to focus on all of the events at the same time, Nadia and her coach have worked out a time before the general practice in which she is able to receive one-on-one coaching.

Nadia’s next competition will take place in either September or October. When asked where the competition will be held and which

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countries will be participating, she laughed and said ,“they don’t tell us anything. It’s all organized last minute and we usually hop on a plane not knowing much.” Nadia continued her story saying, “imagine, 2 years ago I was at university and had classes from 12pm to 6pm; all of the sudden my coach calls at 4pm telling me me to head to the airport because we’re going to the Asian Indoor Athletic games - all without prior notice or going to training camps ahead of time. It’s always a surprise.”

The conversation went on discuss how disappointing it is for her that female athletes in Kuwait aren’t

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“Kuwaiti female athletes can a c h i eve s o m u c h m o r e i f t h ey w e r e g i ve n t h e r i g h t s u p p o r t .”

HOPING FOR A BETTER FUTURE

While Nadia considers this her career’s all-time high thus far, she is sure that there is more where that came from. She hopes that in the future she can compete in the Asian Athletics Championships in her sport, because although she has qualified to the Asian Athletics Championship previously, she didn’t compete in heptathlon.

Nadia is a model athlete. She prides herself on being an athlete, a term that defines who she is. She tells us the story of how on her first day at university, when asked to talk about themselves, she was very proud to stand up and tell everyone that she is an athlete. “None of us do this for the money or the fame, and in Kuwait we get neither, but it’s one of the most important things in my life. If there was one word I would choose to describe myself it would be an athlete.”

given the opportunity or adequate support to reach their potential.

“It’s sad,” Nadia explains, “when I was competing, I realized that I did all this on my own and through my own effort. Kuwaiti female athletes can achieve so much more if they were given the right support.” Nadia further expanded, “for example, we sometimes participate in competitions without even practicing or

Jalil Marvin

preparing for the tournament. We also don’t have a physio or a medical team, so when we get injured we are on our own again. Although the coach tries her best and tries to cater to all our needs, it’s impossible.” The list of what is missing goes on and on, but what disappoints her most is that other countries that don’t have Kuwait’s financial means offer their athletes a lot more.

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Her advice to anyone who wants to become an athlete is to go ahead without even thinking about it.

“Whatever the sport is, they should start as early as possible, because the earlier they start the further they can go in that sport. For an example, if I had started a year earlier then I would have been two years ahead of my current form.” Nadia’s final words of advice to our readers is that nothing is impossible, if you can just try, you can make it happen.

THE MOMENT

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yaqoub al-youha Matthias Buhler of Germany and Yaqoub Mohamed Al-Youha as they approach the finish line in the Men’s 110m hurdles during day three of the 16th IAAF World Athletics Championships London 2017 at The London Stadium on August 6, 2017 Alex Pantling | Getty Images

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SPORTS SCIENCE

Courtesy of ShutterStock

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SLEEP HYGIENE Written by Faisal Al Shawa | Founder of Believe Nutrition

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hen I mention the word ‘nutrition’, what’s the first thing that comes to your mind? Food, of course. Sure, nutrition is most certainly associated with food, but did you ever think of sleep and its affect on your nutrition?

Sleep plays quite an integral role when it comes to nutrition. Indeed, numerous studies have demonstrated an inverse relationship between sleep and proper nutrition, such that the worse we sleep, the poorer our food choices and overall nutrition is.

It’s true. A lack of both sleep quality and quantity leads to eating more

Left: Courtesy of Faisal Al Shawa

fatty foods and sugar, a greater daily caloric intake and worsened body composition due to gorging and unhealthy eating habits.

So, how can we offset this by actually trying to fix certain aspects of our sleep? Let me explain to you a few tips and tricks to improve your so-called ‘sleep hygiene’ to eventually work towards better nutrition.

1. Sleep in a quiet environment

Whether you sleep at home, in an apartment with roommates or even living solo, it’s important you sleep in a quiet place. Make sure to let your family members or roommates know that you are about to go sleep, so they can keep the noise levels down!

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2. Temperate matters

Research has shown sleeping in a cold room with temperature between 18 – 20° Celsius helps you fall and stay asleep.

3. Turn off technology

Technology is probably the worst habit to get into before sleeping. The constant buzz of using social media, playing games, or simply browsing the internet keeps your mind stimulated.

Before falling into sleep, you want to relax your mind and ease into your sleep. By doing so, you’ll also be able to fall asleep much quicker, and even stay asleep for longer since your mind isn’t stimulated. Try reading a book, or perhaps closing your eyes and concentrating on your breathing.

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THE EVENT

PREVIOUS WINNERS:

2008. Al Arabi Club 2009. Al Qadsiya Club 2010. Al Kuwait SC 2011. Al Qadsiya Club 2012. Al Arabi Club 2013. Al Qadsiya Club 2014. Al Qadsiya Club 2015. Al Kuwait SC 2016. Al Kuwait SC

Courtesy of KUNA

Kuwait Super Cup The Kuwaiti Super Cup is an official tournament organized by the Kuwaiti Football Association (KFA), which was established in 2008. It is a one-match tournament between the winner of the VIVA Premier Football League and the Amir’s Cup last season winner.

Al Arabi Club was the first champion of the tournament, with Khalid Ahmed Khalaf, of Al Arabic Club, scoring the first goal, and Bader Al Mutawa achieving the position of all-time tournament top scorer with 6 goals for Al Qadsiya Club.

There was a change to the third edition of the tournament in 2010, in which the Super Cup Final match took

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place between Super Cup titleholder Al Qadisiya and the Crown Prince Cup titleholder Al Kuwait SC, rather than the Amir’s Cup winner.

In 2012, the Super Cup Final was back to its original grouping, and the tournament was held between the champions of the VIVA Premier Football League and the Amir’s Cup. This match was between the Super Cup winner Al Qadisiya and the VIVA Premier League Cup winners.

This year is host to a unique occasion, as Al Kuwait SC won all 4 major football trophies last season, leaving them to play the runners up of the VIVA Premier Football League, Al Qadsiya Club.

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UAAK

UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS A competition steeped in excitement and rivalry

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h e U n i ve rs i t y At h l et i c s Association of Kuwait (UAAK) is the private universities’ athletics league, established in 2014 to replace the previous University Championship Cup (UCC). The UAAK is made up of six private universities and consists of seven male sports and five female sports.

In July 2005, the Australian College of Kuwait (ACK), Arab Open University ( AO U ) , A m e r i ca n U n i ve rs i t y o f Kuwait (AUK), and Gulf University for Science and Technology (GUST) collaborated and organized a series of small sports competitions, creating the UCC. These competitions were made up of 15 teams, participating in a total of three mini one-day tournaments designed to promote sportsmanship, healthy living, and positive social interaction between students. The competition spanned the 2005-06 academic year and culminated in the final event in May 2006, at which one university was declared the UCC Champion based on the performances of all the teams participating from each university.

After 11 years of establishing the UCC, the tournament has developed from three one-day tournaments, to a league that extends over seven months of the year, with six participating universities, five additional sports, and approximately six hundred and fifty-two student-athletes.

Throughout the past two years, the UAAK has witnessed fierce and exciting rivalry between the universities in every sport. As a result, the UAAK has been increasingly popular among students, with match attendance growing exponentially.

Courtesy of AUK

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2016/17 CHAMPIONS:

UAAK Men’s Football:

GUST vs. AUM Result: 0-3

UAAK Women’s Football:

GUST vs. ACK Result: 2-0

UAAK Men’s Basketball:

AUM vs. ACK Result: 72-61

UAAK Women’s Basketball :

AUM vs. AUK Result: 25-21

UAAK Men’s Volleyball:

AUM vs. AOU Result: 3-0

UAAK Women’s Volleyball:

GUST vs. AUM Result: 3-0

UAAK Men’s Squash:

1st Ahmad Al Tawari (AUM) UAAK Women’s Squash:

1st Nourhan Ahmed (AUM) UAAK Men’s Table Tennis:

1st Hussein Al Halwaji (AUM) UAAK Women’s Table Tennis:

1st Yara Aabd (AUK)

Fourteen will be covering all of UAAK’s upcoming matches in the new season 2017-2018. You will find on our website post-match coverage of all the games and interviews in with key players in our monthly issue. Stay tuned.

Courtesy of AUK

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UAAK Men’s Futsal:

AOU vs. GUST

Result: 3-3 (2-1 penalties)

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F EAT U R E D A D

MARK THE DATE!

A

C Milan LOYAC Soccer School opens for its 9th season on the 17th of September. The academy offers training to boys ages 4-18 and for girls 10 and older.

Our training staff, headed by Mr. Patrizio Billio, consists of eight highly qualified coaches. Three of our coaches are from Italy and the remaining five make up our great and international team - all of whom have equally impressive coaching backgrounds. We have trained thousands

Courtesy of Loyac

of players during the past 8 seasons, with many players earning the opportunity to participate in several international tournaments organized by AC Milan Club in Italy.

Not only is LOYAC AC MIlan one of the few AC Milan Soccer Schools worldwide, but we are one of the leading soccer schools in the region and the first Arab Team to ever participate in the International Youth Peace Tournament. We focus on enhancing individual players’ skill and talent in a team oriented environment, offering each of our members specific recommendations to improve their overall

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fitness and expertise in the game, increasing their chances to play in our international tournaments.

Today, AC Milan Kuwait is one of the oldest and most successful AC Milan schools in the world. What makes our school unique is the fact that it operates under a non-profit organization, committing a percentage of its proceeds at the end of each business year to volunteer operations and charitable initiatives organized by LOYAC. We Create Players! Register now through www.acmilan.com or follow us @acmilankuwait to stay up to date with our schools news.

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THE GYM AD

Courtesy of Lyfe Cycle

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W O R K O U T S An inter view with Nader Golsharifi

“

The experience at Life Cycle is as much fun as it is intense. Our clients are trained by coaches who specialize in making you feel like you are a part of a family. Everyone that joins us leaves Life Cycle feeling fresh, and energetic.

public is fully aware of spinning’s many health benefits.

I get asked about the relationship between spinning and knee pain and lower back injuries quite frequently. This to me is indicative of a need to educate the public on why some people indeed develop knee problems and other injuries from spinning. The onus is on the coach to educate clients on the importance of using resistance and control properly on the bike and how exercising controlled stroking during spinning and applying the right resistance are key to avoiding joint pain and back injuries. We have clients who were told by their doctors and general practitioners to go and find a spinning gym.

People underestimate how much you can burn on a bike.

Life Cycle is a 50 minute whole body workout, targeting mostly the lower body, but because you would have to get on and off the saddle to do varied strength exercises, you end up getting a complete whole body workout. A person on the bike exerting minimal effort at a Life Cycle session would burn 500 calories on average. Regulars are known to burn around 800 calories a session.

Conversations like this remind me of why I decided to go into the fitness line in the first place. We have a responsibility to teach good practices and make people healthy and fit.”

Spinning helps boost your endurance and stamina as well as general health. I honestly do not feel that the general

Courtesy of Lyfe Cycle

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