Sharpshooter mums celebrate Mother's Day victory

Dubai - It was a touching moment for the two heritage sport shooters on the occasion of Mother's Day on Wednesday.

Meet two Emirati women: Azza Khamis Al Deri, 23, and Sheikha Al Ketbi, 63. Separated by four decades' life, these two mothers have one thing in common. Both are Saktoun rifle sharp shooters who bring honour not only to their families but to the motherland as well.
Azza, a mother of two, is a back-to-back first-place winner in the Fazza Championship for Shooting in the Open and Emirati women categories, held at the Hamdan Bin Mohammed Shooting Range in Ruwayyah, Dubai, on March 17 and 21 respectively; while Sheikha, a mother of 11, placed second after Azza in the Emirati women's category.
It was a touching moment for the two heritage sport shooters on the occasion of Mother's Day on Wednesday. Azza paid tribute and gifted her top prize of 4X4 vehicle to her mother who taught her the sport of Saktoun shooting; while Sheikha inspired her two kids to finish in top places in the U17 boys and girls categories.
Saktoun rifle is a traditional weapon renowned for its accuracy and used by Bedouins for hunting and during war. "This sport is steeped in Emirati tradition and I thank my mum, who is also a rifle shooter, for inspiring me to take Saktoun shooting as a sport," Azza told Khaleej Times.
After taking Saktoun rifle four years ago, Azza has already lifted five championship trophies - three at shooting tournaments in Al Ain and the recent two competitions organised by the Hamdan bin Mohammed Heritage Centre (HHC). 
Her biggest win so far was at the 18th Fazza Open Championship for Shooting (women's division), where she overcame tough competition from veteran Omani rifle shooters and managed to score a near perfect 78 points (out of 80) in the final despite a very windy condition.
Four days after that feat, she took her aim at the Fazza Shooting Championship for Emiratis. She cruised in the qualifying rounds and again ended up in first place after three days of grueling competition.
Azza said: "My aim now is to continue training and win more competitions."
Al Ketbi has been firing Saktoun for more than three decades with steady hands and sharp eyes. Age did not affect her sight and accuracy. In fact, despite her advanced age, she's not wearing eyeglasses and still has the keen ability to hit the bull's eye 50 metres away with a .22 caliber rifle bullet.
A mother of six girls and five boys, Sheikha Al Ketbi has also raised a brood of Emirati champions. On the day she placed second to Azza with 73 points at the Fazza Shooting Championship, her son Saeed Mohammed Al Ketbi finished first place in the Boys U17 category while her daughter Fatima came in second spot in the Girls U17 division.
"Our family has been into Saktoun shooting for decades. We encourage each other, we train together and we participate in tournaments as a family," added Sheikha, who at 63, still has more to give and win in a sport that requires sharp-eyed accuracy and calmness under pressure.
angel@khaleejtimes.com

• Dubai