AUC's sports teams won third place overall at the 39th National Universities Tournament, which took place from early April to early May. Competing against 33 national and private universities in 30 different sports, AUC athletes won 38 medals (10 gold, 11 silver and 17 bronze). In addition, the women's team ranked second among women's teams from other universities. 

In the individual sports, AUC teams won two gold, seven silver and nine bronze medals in swimming, as well as a gold medal in diving. Male and female AUC players ranked first in squash, and the women's tennis team won two gold medals. In fencing, both men and women's teams came in third, winning bronze medals. In five-a-side football, the women's team came in first, and the men's team second. In addition, the men's handball team ranked first.

Freshman swimmer Laila El Bassiouni was happy about participating in the tournament for the first time. “It was a great experience to be part of the AUC team,” she said. “Winners in this tournament will be shortlisted to participate in other major sports events, so it’s really exciting.”

Echoing the same sentiment, Nour El Tayeb, freshman squash player who ranked first in individual squash, said, “I was eager to take part in the tournament because I wanted to represent my University.”

The tournament included swimming, water polo, tennis, table tennis and squash to boxing, weight lifting, track and field, soccer, basketball, handball, volleyball and hockey. Several games were hosted at the AUC Sports Center, including tennis, squash, basketball, handball, swimming and soccer.

“This is one of the main competitions of the year,” said Mohamed Taher, associate director of the athletics office. “AUC teams usually achieve great results in this tournament.”

In 2010, AUC’s male and female tennis players won first place, a ranking that they have been able to maintain for the past decade. Also, in 2011, AUC teams ranked first in men’s handball, women’s basketball and women’s swimming.

“It was a great opportunity to improve my performance and to represent AUC again,” said mechanical engineering senior Omar Azab, who won his fourth gold medal in diving this year. Azab has been participating in the tournament for the past three years.

AUC’s sports teams regularly take part in annual national and regional tournaments, including the Fifth Sector Tournament, organized by the Egyptian Universities Sports Federation, and the International University Sport Tournament, which involves competitions between teams from a number of American universities around the world.

For the complete results of the National Universities Sports Tournament, click here.