Under the patronage of Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of the Executive Council of Dubai, the fifth and the largest edition of the Gov Games to date concluded on Sunday, March 3, 2024 at the Dubai Festival City.
Organised in partnership with Official Partner DP World and in cooperation with the Dubai Sports Council, the four-day event saw 194 teams from around the world face off in the most competitive competition yet. More than Dhs2.8 million in prize money was won across four categories, including the first-ever category for youth.
Dubai Gov Games
Opening the Junior Gov Games, Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed said the substantial participation of teams from around the world in the largest edition of the Gov Games underscores the event’s global reach. This broad participation inspires participants to improve their readiness and uphold leadership qualities, mirroring the spirit of Dubai and its steadfast commitment to excellence, he noted.
Congratulating the winners, His Highness praised the high level of competitiveness displayed across all categories. “The teams embodied the competition’s ethos of fostering a positive community impact by promoting a healthy lifestyle. They demonstrated fitness, cooperation and a commitment to excellence,” Sheikh Hamdan said.
The Gov Games 2024 winners were crowned in the presence of His Excellency Abdulla Mohammed Al Basti, the Secretary General of the Executive Council of Dubai, and Ayoub Al Mulla, Chief Operating Officer, We One DP World.
Four categories
The first-ever winner of the Junior Gov Games was F3. They were closely followed by Parkour DXB in second place and with Desert Storm Juniors in third. The winning teams were awarded Dhs70,000 for the first-place finish, Dhs56,000 for the runner-up and Dhs35,000 for the third-place position.
The Battle of the Government tournament category was characterised by valiant performances and intense competition. The winner of the female’s Battle of the Government tournament was Emirates Schools Establishment, followed by Dubai Electricity & Water Authority in second place, and Dubai Police in third place.
In the men’s Battle of the Government tournament, General Directorate of Civil Defence – Dubai claimed the top spot, followed by Ajman Government in second place, and Dubai State Security in third place.
The Battle of the Community tournament was won by NAS, followed by Block20 x Empire in second place, while Spirit Level secured the third place.
In the Battle of the Cities tournament, teams from around the globe participated, representing countries such as the UAE, Australia, Bahrain, Denmark, Norway, the UK, the US, Spain, Italy, Germany, Uzbekistan, Poland, Czechia, Russia, Slovakia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, France and Portugal.
Copenhagen, Denmark won the City Challenge category for the second consecutive year, followed by Moscow, Russia in second place, and Saint Petersburg, Russia in third place.
The winners of each category won Dhs500,000, while second place teams earned Dhs250,000 and third place were awarded Dhs150,000.
In its fifth edition, Gov Games attracted over 17,000 spectators, many of them being families. The competition also attracted leaders from various government entities who came to show their support and motivate their colleagues.
The fifth edition of the Gov Games cemented the competition as one of Dubai’s most significant sporting events, attracting broad international participation. It further underscored Dubai’s ability to host and organise major international events.
The Gov Games 2024 is supported by a distinguished roster of partners and sponsors, including DP World as the Official Partner, the Dubai Sports Council as a Strategic Sponsor, and esteemed Golden Sponsors like Emirates General Petroleum Corporation (Emarat), Damac Properties, and Emirates Post Group (7X), and Dubai Electricity & Water Authority (DEWA) and First Abu Dhabi Bank as silver sponsors, in addition to Dubai Festival City, Home Bakery, Al Fares International Tents, Jeep and Emirates Integrated Telecommunications Company (du) in addition to Event’s Security Committee, Dubai Health and Dubai Corporation for Ambulance Services.
tanvir@dubainewsweek.com
