The Dubai Open Academies Gymnastics Championship returned for its third season with more than 600 young athletes taking part, the largest turnout the event has seen. Seventeen academies from the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Qatar entered teams, with gymnasts competing across four age and skill categories.
The championship, organised by Stamina 11 with support from Aspire Academy, aims to create a consistent competitive calendar for developing gymnasts in the UAE. This season will run in phases, with results from each round adding to an overall points table used to decide the final champions.
Competition ran across Levels 1 to 3, with routines judged by an international panel. Organisers said the broader structure gives gymnasts regular exposure to competition and encourages academies to work within one shared framework.
Farah Shawar, CEO of Stamina 11, said the early rounds showed strong organisation and growing technical standards across the field. She added that the focus this year is on identifying new talent and giving all academies the chance to compete under the same system.
The British acrobatics team — Emma Logan, Gemma Russell and Carla Hillcott, coached by Michelle Denise — performed as invited guests. Ranked third in the World Cup, their appearance added an international element to the opening phase.
Early results produced standout routines. Zoe Smith, seven, won Level 1. In Level 2, eight-year-olds Amal Rassas and Lulu Abdulmohsen Al-Madhi shared first place. Bradania Netraj, seven, topped Level 3, while nine-year-old Louisa Shippy secured gold in Level 4.
Following the first phase, Stamina 11 met with local academies to form a technical committee that will oversee point collection and scoring across the season. Final winners will be announced at the end of the third and final cycle.
Organisers say the steady growth of the event reflects rising interest in artistic gymnastics in the UAE. The next rounds of the championship will take place in the coming months as academies prepare for a more competitive second half of the season.
More information is available at doga.ae.
