Flip through the latest issue of Gulf Weekly.
Abu Dhabi A were crowned champions in this year's Inter-Gulf Netball Championships sponsored by Riffa Views at the Rugby Club in Saar.
The sporting extravaganza attracted more than 350 players, coaches and umpires participating in 128 matches over the weekend.
Abu Dhabi's senior side outplayed close rivals Dubai A 15-11 in the final of the tournament which attracted 26 teams from around the Gulf as well as an invitational English team.
Doha Youth broke Bahrain's hearts by taking third place - beating the home side's A team 9-3 in the final classification match.
But the kingdom showed its continued development and strength in depth with Bahrain B taking fifth place overall in the 23rd instalment of the annual tournament which was held here for the second consecutive year.
South African Jackie Coetzee, Abu Dhabi 'A' team captain, 26, said: "I am very proud of our success. The ladies have done fantastically well."
Richard Browning, Riffa Views' chief executive officer, said: "This year's championships further confirmed Bahrain's reputation as an outstanding event, both regionally and internationally."
The England Netball association sent 10 of its most talented umpires, flown courtesy of Qatar Airways, to officiate at the tournament. Event manager Michaela Milne said: "The matches, particularly in the final stages, came down to the wire and it was a delight to watch them being umpired at such a great standard.
"The tournament was a massive success with a record number of teams and a fantastic result from Bahrain A who broke into the elite top four. Bahrain has really developed and has done the best it has for over 12 years because we had professionals coming out to coach us who left behind a really solid training programme that has truly developed us from a grass-roots level."
The men's competition, contested between defending champions Bahrain 'A', Kuwait, Abu Dhabi and Dubai, was won by Dubai who defeated Kuwait in the final.
The Invitational Cup featured some of the best matches of the tournament with impressive displays of athleticism, speed and skill from defending English champions and 2009 winners, Hucclecote Netball Club from Gloucestershire.
The Qatar Airways 'Player of the Tournament', voted by the players themselves, was won by Ema Barranger from Bahrain 'C'.
The 2010 netball tournament will take place in Dubai.
Dubai head coach Zorina Vondracek said: "We will have a tough job organising the tournament next year. Bahrain has raised the bar yet again and we face a massive challenge in order to match the incredible standards they have set over the last two years."
Championship cup winners Abu Dhabi A were joined on the medals' table by Plate Winners Kuwait 'A' and Bowl Winners Doha Youth.
