Media Release

Dubai, Mar 15: BITS Pilani, emerge overall champions at the annual sports festival participated by around 2,000 students from 27 leading universities and colleges.

The 15th annual sports festival of Gulf Medical University (GMU), the leading private university in the region owned and operated by Thumbay Group UAE concluded with the prize distribution ceremony on Sunday March 13. The closing ceremony which was held at the GMU campus in Ajman was attended by GMU provost prof Gita Ashok Raj, the chief guest of the ceremony, the deans of the constituent colleges of GMU, the sports directors, officials and students from the participating institutions as well as GMU students.

The event, which is considered the biggest inter-university sports festival in the country, saw around 2,000 participants from across 27 leading universities/colleges in the university vie for prizes in cricket, football, basketball, badminton, table tennis, tennis, throwball, volleyball, squash and swimming held over six days.

The festival was held from March 5 in association with Body & Soul Health Club and Spa, the award-winning network of health clubs operated by the hospitality division of Thumbay Group. The grand sports event is held each year keeping in view the philosophy of Gulf Medical University 'Healthy Body for a Healthy Mind' and to instil the spirit of sportsmanship and healthy competition among the students, according to Dr Joshua Ashok, dean - student affairs, who is also chairman-sports committee of GMU. “We thank Thumbay Moideen, founder president and chairman of the board of Governors of GMU for his constant support to the annual sports festival,” he said. He also thanked the participating institutions for the huge popularity of the event.

BITS Pilani – Dubai emerged the overall champions of the fest. A total of 40 trophies, around 1,000 medals and 1,000 certificates were distributed to the winners and participants at the closing ceremony.
The following institutions participated in this year’s edition of sports festival: College of Medicine - GMU, College of Dentistry – GMU, College of Pharmacy – GMU, College of Allied Health Sciences – GMU, College of Graduate Studies – GMU, Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT), University of Sharjah, American University of RAK, University of Wollongong – Dubai, BITS Pilani – Dubai, International College – Ajman, Canadian University of Dubai, Victoria College – Sharjah, American University of Sharjah, Ajman University of Science & Technology, Institute of Modern Technologies (IMTECH), Manipal University – Dubai, Murdoch University – Dubai, Heriot Watt University, Emirates Aviation University, Wisdom Business School - Ras Al Khaimah, City University College of Ajman, ICBEST Gulf Information & Learning Center – Sharjah, Brillianz Institute of Management & Studies – Sharjah, Success Point College – Sharjah, City International Training Centre – Ajman, Cromwell UK – Sharjah.

Prize winners in the inter-university tournaments:
1. Cricket– Boys
Runners up: Emirates Aviation University
Winners     : Manipal University, Dubai

Man of the match: Harjodh Singh Malhi (Manipal University, Dubai)

Best batsman : Harjodh Singh Malhi (Manipal University, Dubai)

Best bowler    : Harjodh Singh Malhi (Manipal University, Dubai)

2. Cricket– Girls
Runners up           : Gulf Medical University, Ajman
Winners                : BITS Pilani, Dubai
Best performance : Ruqiya Umar (Gulf Medical University, Ajman)

3. Football– Boys
Runners up : AMERICAN UNIVERSITY, Ras Al Khaimah
Winners      : City University College of Ajman

4. Football– Girls
Runners up : Gulf Medical University, Ajman
Winners      : Heriot Watt University

5. Basketball– Boys
Runners up : University of Wollongong, Dubai
Winners : University of Sharjah

6. Basketball– Girls
Runners up : Manipal University, Dubai
Winners      : American University of Sharjah

7. Badminton– Boys
Runners up : Manipal University, Dubai
Winners      : American University of Sharjah

8. Badminton– Girls
Runners up : Gulf Medical University, Ajman
Winners : Manipal University, Dubai

9. Table Tennis– Boys
Runners up : University of Sharjah
Winners      : Heriot Watt University

10. Table Tennis– Girls
Runners up : Victoria College, Sharjah
Winners      : BITS Pilani, Dubai

11. Tennis– Boys
Runners up : Ajman University of Science & Technology
Winners      : American University of Sharjah

12. Tennis– Girls
Runners up : BITS Pilani, Dubai
Winners      : American University of Sharjah

13. Throwball– Girls
Runners up : ICBEST – Gulf Information & Learning Ceter, Sharjah
Winners      : BITS Pilani, Dubai

14. Volleyball– Boys
Runners up : BITS Pilani, Dubai
Winners      : Victoria College, Sharjah

15. Squash– Boys
Runners up : Ajman University of Science & Technology
Winners       : American University of Sharjah

16. Swimming– Boys
Runners up : University of Sharjah
Winners      : American University of Sharjah

17. Swimming– Girls

Winners : American University of Sharjah

Overall champions: BITS Pilani, Dubai