'UAE Unites Us' theme a big hit

Dubai - 500 participate in boxing, wushu, table tennis, gym training, badminton

It's the beginning of mild winter with early season rains, something most of us are accustomed to in this part of the world, and something that tempts you to stay indoors.
On the coastline it can be a few degrees lower and the winds can deter the not so determined outdoor type to take refuge under the cover of a roof.
The National Sports Day with the 'UAE Unites Us' theme was celebrated in great fashion by well over five hundred enthusiasts despite the wet, cold weather on Tuesday. Children from the various sports academies and training centres here had gathered at the Dubai International Marine Club (DIMC) in Dubai Marina from Monday midnight for 24 hours right through to the early hours of Tuesday.
Boxing, wushu (kung fu), table tennis, gym training, badminton and many more traditional and non traditional sports were seen through under the supervision of highly trained and experienced professionals.
The activity that interested most of the visitors at the DIMC on Tuesday were the performances of the instructors and trainees of the Shanghai Kung Fu Club, which was established here a year ago.
Clad in traditional cream coloured wushu outfits, the young Emiratis were quite serious about the strict routines that they had to go through in the morning and afternoon sessions. "Kung fu meaning 'great effort' in Chinese is the word a foreigner (non-Chinese) is accustomed to. Wu shu is the old and original form," said Zhi Zhong Jin, the Dubai director for Shanghai Kung Fu Club, one of the more established and better training institutes in wu shu. Wushu is likely to make the grade to the Olympics in the near future as the next martial arts to be included in the Games' fold.
"Wu shu has so many schools and it is difficult to get a single code and style to be a united form of martial art. This is the main reason as to why despite the originality and genuineness of the form, the Olympic movement still has to keep testing its credentials. The other martial art forms in the Olympic fold are lot simpler and straight, and remember, all of them have its origins from wu shu and China," added Zhi, a long time business expat here.
"The national children here have shown tremendous devotion in picking up the form and soon we intend expanding by training other children, and expats," said Zhi.
The instructors who displayed great skills acquired from years of hard training included Hui Feng Liu, Chang Xu, Teng Fei Gui, Liao Ling Long and Feng Xu.
"We are quite happy to be part of a genuine group to initiate the art and sport form of this ancient martial art to the people here,' Hui said before proceeding to his next round of combat demonstration.
Meanwhile at the school level, International School of Arts and Sciences (ISAS) and Al Mawakeb Schools in Al Garhoud and Al Barsha joined the nationwide celebration for the first ever UAE National Sports Day.
A number of activities were carried out on the day to impart the importance of sportsmanship and fitness amongst the youngsters.
moni@khaleejtimes.com