May 29, 2017, Cairo – The American
University in Cairo (AUC) held its annual
Athletics Awards ceremony hosted by AUC sports center in acknowledgement of AUC
athletes for their sporting achievements throughout the academic year. The
event, held at AUC New Cairo, was
attended by the Egyptian Minister of Youth and Sports, Khaled Abdel Aziz; the
President of the Egyptian Olympics Committee, Hesham Hatab; The Egyptian
Olympic Committee Board Member and Alumnus, Sherif El Erian and AUC President,
Francis J. Ricciardone. At the
awards ceremony, 116 students have been recognized, including seven students and alumni who participated in the 2016 Rio
Olympics, as well as student Nouran Gohar, the 2016 world junior squash champion.
“We are proud of the accomplishments of AUC athlete students and
alumni, I am also happy to see AUC participating in the athletic activities and
competitions that are organized by the ministry for the universities. We look
forward to more achievements from AUC students,” said Abdel Aziz.
In his speech, Ricciardone said, “Here at AUC, we don’t just teach
in the classroom, we refer to the AUC experience, and in that experience we aim
to teach, develop and nurture leadership. Leadership is not something you just
develop in a curriculum, we do it in extracurricular activities. The athletes
we are celebrating today are the leaders of this great country being developed
and nurtured before our eyes.”
Louise Bertini, director of the Athletics office at AUC said, “We are
happy to have the support of the ministry of youth and the Olympian committee,
not only for their attendance but for their continuous support and cooperation
to our students and to AUC.”
Bertini expressed how proud AUC is with the
accomplishments of its athletes, “AUC athletes have won 26 medals so far in the
National Universities Tournament, 8 medals in the American College of Greece
International Sports Festival last March and 38
medals, 20 of which were gold, in The American University of Beirut (AUB) President’s Club
International Sports Tournament last semester.” In addition, the
women’s rugby team was also recognized at the awards ceremony, for winning, for
the first time, the amateur Middle East Division in the Dubai Rugby Sevens last
December.
For the first time at the annual awards ceremony, AUC has honored
the women and men teams with the highest GPA who were able to
balance the academics and athletics. “For women’s, it is a tie, with a 3.8 GPA
for the women’s tennis and Frisbee teams. The men’s squash team has achieved
the highest GPA of 3.45 among the men’s teams. Also among those recognized are
seven exceptional student athletes, who have a current cumulative 4.0 GPA,”
said Bertini.
Addressing the student athletes, Bertini said “your achievement is
a testament to your dedication, your families and what you bring to this
community. You are AUC.”
