UAE- Age no bar for taking up fitness challenge

(MENAFN- Khaleej Times) Seventy-year-old Indian Jabbar Poonawaala was dressed in a sporty pink t-shirt as he waited for the fitness challenge to kick off at Safa Park. He had come to be part of the challenge along with his 69-year-old wife and their daughter's family. "I am very much into walking and fitness and I also take my wife along for walks back in India. We just came here visiting our daughter and son-in-law here in Dubai and we are amazed and thrilled at how such an amazing initiative was planned and how it has created so much enthusiasm and happiness in the city. I think all countries should start such initiatives.

His daughter, Ashraf Lakhani, said: "I was happy to see my son Afif and husband Amir Ali do yoga together for the first time, and so were my parents. Such innovative initiatives make our country's leaders great. A big thank you to them."

Sixteen-year-old Majed Al Banna came with his mother to participate in the fitness challenge.

"I am here to support my son in this challenge. Both his father and I signed up to be with him and encourage him. He is doing this as a volunteer project for his last two years at an IB school where he has to adopt a cause and follow it through. Fitness has been Majed's project this year. The more people Majed gets for such initiatives, the more successful his project is and that's why we along with other friends are here. Although I try to go to gym thrice a week, this challenge has definitely given me a reason to go every day," said Majed's mother, while rowing in an open gym at the venue.

Mayssa and Hikmat from Lebanon were present at the venue with their relatives' sons Jad, 6, and Zayed, 5, all dressed in sporty attire. "We are very much into fitness and we have brought these kids here to encourage them into health and fitness from a young age because this should be part of their lifestyle. Football is what these kids like and here we are finding so many variations of these activities. This challenge has increased the happiness factor in our lives and given us time to bond with each other.

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