His Highness Sheikh Nahyan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Charitable and Humanitarian Foundation, and Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Sports Council, has crowned the winners of the 9th edition of the Fatima bint Mubarak Women’s Sports Award 2025 at a ceremony held at the at Emirates Palace Mandarin Oriental in Abu Dhabi.
Since its launch, the award has embodied the vision of Her Highness Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, Chairwoman of the General Women’s Union, President of the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood, Supreme Chairwoman of the Family Development Foundation, and Mother of the Nation, in elevating the status of Emirati and Arab women in sports at regional and international levels. The award continues under the guidance and support of Her Highness Sheikha Fatima bint Hazza bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Chairwoman of the Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies Sports Academy and the President of the Abu Dhabi and Al Ain Ladies Clubs.
The ceremony was attended by His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Sultan bin Hamdan Al Nahyan, Director of the International Events Department at the Abu Dhabi Sports Council; His Excellency Hassan Ibrahim Al Hammadi, Assistant Undersecretary at the Presidential Court for Support Services; His Excellency Aref Hamad Al Awani, General Secretary of the Abu Dhabi Sports Council; Her Excellency Noura Khalifa Al Suwaidi, General Secretary of the General Women’s Union; Her Excellency Dr Omniyat Al Hajeri, Vice Chairwoman of the Fatima bint Mubarak Ladies Sports Academy; Shamsa Saif Al Hanaee, Board Member of the Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies Sports Academy; members of the Judging Committee, senior officials, Arab sports figures, and media representatives.
His Highness Sheikh Nahyan bin Zayed Al Nahyan praised the remarkable achievements of this year’s edition, affirming that the progress of the award is a direct result of the continuous support and wise guidance of Her Highness Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, whose efforts have laid the foundation for the development of women’s sports in the UAE and across the Arab world.
His Highness also commended the significant support provided by Her Highness Sheikha Fatima bint Hazza bin Zayed Al Nahyan, which has elevated the award’s presence and impact, making it a distinguished platform for celebrating female champions across all sports disciplines.
His Highness emphasised that the award has become a leading Arab model for honoring talented sportswomen and encouraging them to reach podiums worldwide, in alignment with the UAE’s strategy for empowering women and enabling sustainable success.
His Highness congratulated all winners and encouraged them to continue their inspiring journey and achieve further accomplishments on local, regional, and global stages.
The winners of the 2025 edition include the Sports Personality of the Year (2025), which was awarded to Her Royal Highness Princess Reema bint Bandar bin Sultan Al Saud, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to the United States, Member of the International Olympic Committee, and recipient of the International Women of Courage in Sports Diplomacy Award. The Best Arab Woman Athlete Award (prize: AED600,000) went to Fareeda Mohamed Ahmed Khalil (Egypt), the youngest Arab and world champion in modern pentathlon, and the first athlete in history to capture four World Championship titles in a single season. The Best Emirati Woman Athlete Award (prize: AED300,000) was presented to Salma Haitham Rashid Al Marri (UAE), a national shooting champion holding multiple junior and women’s national records, and the first Emirati woman to win a gold medal in shooting.
The Best Paralympic Woman Athlete Award (prize: AED250,000) was awarded to Thikra Ahmed Al Kaabi (UAE), a World Para Athletics champion and winner of the gold medal in the 100m event at the 2025 World Championships in New Delhi, where she set a new world record of 19.89 seconds. The Best Women’s Team Award (prize: AED300,000) was given to the Sharjah Women’s Athletics Team, winners of 222 medals and 10 trophies in local and international championships, including relay and track-and-field successes. The Best Sports Mother Award (prize: AED150,000) was presented to Mariam Hassan Al Marzouqi (UAE), a former multisport athlete — in football, volleyball, basketball, athletics, and gymnastics — and mother of elite jiu-jitsu champions Aliya, Thiyab, and Sanaa Al Zaabi.
The Best Sports Media Influencer Award (prize: AED100,000) went to Maha Yousif Al Khalifa (Saudi Arabia), founder and international coach of Archer Sport, a pioneer of women’s archery and adaptive sports in the Kingdom, and recipient of the Gulf Distinguished Youth Medal for her advocacy work. The Best Youth Woman Athlete Award (prize: AED150,000) was given to Mona Faisal Al Shara (UAE), a national archery champion who began her journey at age 10 and achieved international status in 2023 as a member of the UAE national team. The Best Coach Award (prize: AED150,000) went to Nihal Reda Mohammed (Tunisia), a distinguished judo coach who led her athletes to the World Championship bronze medal in 2017 and to multiple African and international victories.
The total prize fund for the 2025 edition reached AED2 million, distributed across eight categories recognising excellence in Arab and Emirati women’s sports. The Organising Committee expressed gratitude to the award’s official partners and sponsors — ADNOC, Abu Dhabi Police, Dolphin Energy, Abu Dhabi Media Network, and Abu Dhabi Sports Channels — praising their longstanding commitment to empowering women in sports and strengthening their role in society.
