Muay Thai is a traditional combat sport from Thailand, which spread across Europe and Mediterranean countries, including the North African region.
In order to promote the sport in Egypt and support its players, the Royal Thai Embassy in Cairo organised the 2016 Muay Thai Egypt Cup, a two-days sporting event at the Cairo International Stadium, in cooperation with the AUFC Academy for Martial Arts, and the Egyptian Muay Thai Association, the Thai ambassador to Egypt Peerasak Chantavarin said.
The Royal Thai Embassy presented EGP 1,000 in prize money to the winners and EGP 500 to the first runners-up in each division.
Among the attendees was the Malaysian ambassador to Egypt, Ku Jaafar Ku Shaari, and the Indonesian ambassador to Egypt, Nurfaizi Suwandi.
Speaking about another south-east Asian traditional martial art, named Silat Olahraga, Ku Shaari told Daily News Egypt that he spoke to the Indonesia ambassador in order to introduce the sport in Egypt through series of events.
During the tournament’s events, Chantavarin honored the Egyptian soldier, Ahmed Abdel Latif, who lost his leg in a terrorist attack in Sinai. Abdel Latif was a Kung Fu champion, unfortunately due to the attack he has now stopped playing and is receiving treatment.
AUFC’s vice president Mahmoud Said commented: “We invited the Ministry of Youth and Sports to attend this event, however, no representative came even though Asian ambassadors were present.”
As for the tournament’s results, Mahmoud Gamal won the 61kg division. Second place went to Ahmed Fares.
Algerian Ghelash Brash won the 71kg division, and second place went to Ahmed Seliman Mohamed Kamel.
Abdallah Attiah Aboul Yazid won the 76kg division and Attiah Helmy came in second place.
In the 86kg division, Tarek Samir was victorious and Walid Mohamed Ahmed followed in second place.
Mohamoud Hussien won the 91kg division, while Mohamed Ahmed Abdel Azim came in second place.
The 81kg final match was the main and most exciting event of the tournament. The competition was between Ahmed Samy, professional Muay Thai champion, and Ahmed Farid. In the same tournament last year, the final match was also between Samy and Farid, with the former as the victor. During this years’ final, Farid was hurt. Though he did not want to finish in second place again, he was convinced that it was too dangerous to go on with the match, so Samy is now the champion for two years running.
The women’s competitions included two divisions, 57kg and 60kg. Shams Mohamed Hammad, 13, was the youngest player at the tournament and won the 57kg division, leaving Farida Ali in second place.
The winner of the 60kg division was Hagar Ragab, who won the final against her sister, Asmaa Ragab.
Photos by Maydaa El-Nadar
