It was quite a dramatic scene at the Arab Track Cycling Championships in Sharjah yesterday. Staged at the Zayed Velodrome, near the Sharjah International Airport, the championship brought together cyclists from seven different Arab countries – Qatar, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Tunisia, Morocco and the UAE.

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It was the final day of the event, which had started on Friday, and all the cyclists were busy on their bikes, either warming up, cooling down, or riding up the ramp that took them to the track for their next race.

A quick glance around gives one an idea about the vast difference in funding each of these countries’ cycling teams actually receive. The Qataris and Emiratis seemed the best equipped sides by far, as they sported fancy bikes and sleek kits.

The Moroccans weren’t too shabby either but everyone else was clearly making do with what they had. A Qatari male cyclist was weeping loudly in a corner after getting disqualified from a race, while an Egyptian female rider was fuming after hearing the judge announce her time, which saw her miss out on competing for gold in the team sprint.

That same cyclist, Ibtisam Zayed, has already captured six gold medals over the previous three days. The atmosphere was tense – but not in the UAE camp, who were celebrating their ladies’ team’s unprecedented success. 

For the first time ever, the UAE female cycling squad captured four medals – three silver and a bronze – at an Arab championship. And they did it under the supervision of a new coach who has only been on board for a mere 12 days. Tunisian Sanaa Mardessi was in disbelief over her squad’s achievements.

“This is historic,” said Asem Al Mulla, UAE Cycling Federation Team manager. “Sanaa really revolutionised the team in the little time she has had with the girls.

“Also a lot of credit goes to Abdulla Suwaidan, who coaches both the men’s and women’s teams. He is such a pro, he studied in Switzerland and really understands the sport. He spends all his time with these cyclists and helps them in every way.”

Suwaidan’s name comes up during every conversation had with any of the UAE cyclists. He is responsible for reviving the country’s national team and for starting a ladies’ squad a couple of years ago.

Four girls represented the UAE in these championships, including 14-year-old Fatma Salem, who was taking part in an international competition for the very first time and clinched a silver medal in individual pursuit on her debut.

Salem lost her father recently and was forced to step away from the sport for several months as she was abroad. But she returned to practice four weeks ago and found much solace in her daily rides.

“I’m the youngest in the competition, and this is the first time I competed in a championship like this,” Salem told Sport360°.

“My father was sick, and he passed away. I had to travel for some time but now I’m back and cycling really helps me deal with everything. I’m happy I managed to regain my fitness over the past four weeks and I was able to be ready in time for this championship.

“I was so nervous and scared because this is my first time competing, my first race, and it’s at home… But as soon as I got out there, I forgot about the nerves and did well. My dream is now to win gold. This is a very tough sport and not many people choose to compete in it here in the UAE.

“But I fell in love with it from a young age, I used to cycle by the beach with my brothers. I come from an athletic family, my brothers used to play volleyball, and everyone at home is very supportive of me competing.”

Mardessi, who used to be a member of the Tunisian national team, believes the girls on her squad have great potential. “Captain Abdulla Suwaidan has really helped me out and he deserves a lot of the credit for this incredible achievement. The girls have been working hard and have a lot of potential. They’ve made rapid progress and I think they will become one of the most feared teams in the region really soon,” she said.