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Al-Ahram Weekly 28 Oct. - 3 Nov. 1999 Issue No. 453 
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Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Al-Ahram Weekly 28 Oct. - 3 Nov. 1999 Issue No. 453
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| Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Egypt Region International Economy Opinion Culture Features Profile Study Special Sports People Time Out Chronicles Cartoons Letters The sticks are out
By Abeer AnwarEgypt got off to a flying start when it crushed Malta 10-0 and Cyprus 15-0 in Alexandria to open its defence of the Mediterranean Field Hockey Championships. Ahmed Ezz scored a hat trick as lowly Malta barely put up a fight, even suffering the indignity of being scored against by the opposing goalkeeper from the penalty spot.
The championship, which runs from 23 to 30 October, is being hosted by Alexandria's Smoha club and is sponsored by Al-Ahram Organisation for the first time. The club's hockey stadium, the biggest in the Middle East, was built two years ago specifically for the tournament. On the event's sidelines will be two major exhibition matches. A world all-star team will play Holland, the world champions and 1996 Olympic gold medallists. The other match pits a selection of the world's best women against Australia, the top country in the world and gold medal winners in Atlanta as well.
The championship also marks the diamond jubilee of the International Hockey Federation, founded in 1924. The festivities will be attended by 170 members of the federation.
Egypt, Cyprus, Croatia, Gibraltar, Morocco, Malta and Greece, represented by 112 players, are taking part in the eight-day event. The group winner will be decided after 21 round-robin matches are played.
The Egyptian team, title holders of the 1997 championship in Italy, seems determined, if the first game is anything to go by, to keep the cup home. The Pharaohs did, after all, play the game long before anyone else when hockey was known as hoksha. The talents of our ancestors have been handed down to generations of Egyptians who have been African and Arab champions for seven consecutive years. "We prepared well for the event but will face strong competition from Gibraltar and Croatia," said Egyptian coach Ali El-Shorbagy. The two teams include a number of professional players who, El-Shorbagy added, "follow the European style of playing."
