Tuesday 26 / November / 2024
Muscat: The United Thalassery Sports Club (UTSC) are all set to host the second edition of the Starcare Cup Gulf Hockey Fiesta on February 17 and 18.
The tournament, being organised in association with Oman Hockey Association (OHA) and with the support from Starcare Hospitals, will take place at the Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex in Bausher.
The UTSC officially announced the details of the second edition of the regional hockey extravaganza during a media event organised at the Haffa House Hotel on Sunday in the presence of Oman Hockey Association (OHA) chairman Talib Al Wahaibi and Starcare Hospital CEO Dr. Mohammed Naseem
Speaking on the occasion, UTSC representative Sharzina Raffi said the success of the inaugural edition has encouraged the organisers to work with renewed vigour to host the 2017 Gulf Hockey Fiesta with the support of OHA, Starcare Hospitals and other sponsors.
“This year’s event has attracted a total of 12 teams. Six of them are local teams while the rest are from outside the country, including one from India,” Sharzina Raffi said.
“With a primary aim of encouraging the young talents and schoolchildren to practice hockey, we are also including an inter-school tournament and a girls hockey match to this year’s activities,” she revealed.
The local teams that have confirmed their participating are Oman Veterans, Ahli-Sidab, Saham Sports Club, UTSC, Team Coorg and Pak Falcons.
Among the international teams who will be participating in the Fiesta are Dubai Hockey Club, Dada Bhai Hockey Club from Dubai, Young Star Hockey Club from Bahrain, K S A Field Hockey Damam, Al Naqi Strikers from Saudi Arabia.
Tournament Director Salih Thacher said: “For the first time there will be a team from India in the form of One Thousand Hockey Legs Delhi.”
The group matches will take place on February 17 while the knockout matches and the final will be played on February 18, he said.
The inter-schools tournament, Indian School Al Ghubra, Indian School Al Wadi Al Kabir, Indian School Mabella and Indian School Al Seeb teams will be vying for top honours in the boys section while Indian School Mabella and Indian School Al Seeb will play the girls match.
“The action will begin at 2.00 p.m. on February 17 but the Fiesta will be officially inaugurated at 6.00 p.m. by Oman Hockey Association chief Talib Al Wahaibi. The final will be played from 7.30 pm on February 18,” he added.
Speaking on the occasion, OHA chief Talib Al Wahaibi said: “I would like to thank the UTSC, Starcare and the other sponsors for hosting an international hockey event.”
While wishing the organisers all success, he stressed the need for all hockey lovers to work together for the development of hockey.
“I would like to thank all the expatriates for the role they have been playing in the development of hockey. We all need to work together to take Oman hockey forward and our aim is to revive and further develop the game in the Sultanate,” he said.
Starcare Hospitals CEO Dr. Mohammed Naseem, BDM T. M. Kurian, veteran hockey personality S.A.S. Naqvi and UTSC President Hashir Ponmanichi also spoke on the occasion.
While Starcare Hospitals are the main sponsors, the Gulf Hockey Fiesta is also co-sponsored by Malabar Gold, Al Jadeed Exchange, Riaz Mohammed, Home Mart, Polyglot, Al Rehwan, Al Sarooj, Badar Shipping, Air India, FRiEDNi Mobile, United Projects, Al Nahla Solutions LLC, Lynx, FAP Oman, Haffa House, Foodlands Restaurant and Al Omaniya Finance.
