Sharjah: Egypt’s Salma Khaled Badour of Al Maadi and Yacht Club clinched the gold medal in the singles competition as coastal rowing made its official debut at the 2026 Arab Women’s Clubs Games held at Al Hamriyah Beach Park. The Egyptian rower achieved a time of 3:09.47, marking Egypt’s first-ever rowing gold in the history of the Games.

According to State Information Service Egypt, Tunisia’s Yeldes Othmani, representing the Tabarka Association for Marine Sports and Fishing, secured the silver medal with a time of 3:23.24. Morocco’s Marwa Naqiri from Rabat Beach Club took home the bronze after completing the third-place race in 3:04.40, narrowly surpassing Saudi Rowing Federation’s Mariam Kaaki, who finished fourth with a time of 3:24.57.

The singles competition followed the doubles events, where Tunisia’s pair, Yeldes Othmani and Walaa Omri, achieved gold in 2:42.07. Saudi Arabia’s Al Jazi Al Ibrahim and Mariam Kaaki captured silver with a time of 2:55.43, while Egypt’s duo from Al Maadi and Yacht Club, Mariam Aboul Wafa and Salma Badour, secured bronze in 2:46.50.

The coastal rowing event included participation from six teams representing the UAE, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Morocco, and Tunisia, showcasing the increasing prominence of the sport in women’s athletics across the Arab region.

The medal ceremony was graced by notable figures including Sheikh Khalid bin Ahmed Al Qasimi, Chairman of the Higher Organizing Committee of the Games; Hanan Al Mahmoud, Vice Chair of the Committee; Abdulaziz Al Anzi, Secretary-General of the Union of Arab National Olympic Committees; Moza Al Shamsi, Games Director; and Annamarie Phelps, Vice President of the International Rowing Federation.

Salma Badour expressed that the competition was intense, emphasizing the close margins between participants, making the singles gold particularly rewarding, especially after missing out on the doubles gold the day before.

The Arab Women’s Clubs Games are being hosted in Sharjah and are organized by the Sharjah Women’s Sports Foundation through February 12. The event features 65 teams from 16 Arab countries competing in nine individual and team sports, with the objective of enhancing women’s sports on a regional and international scale.