WCMC-Q debate team off to flying start with double success
February, 2013
Emad Alam (far right) with Park House students
Mahmoud Al Awraki and Ayman Fadl Al Barri.
Members of the debate club at Weill Cornell Medical College in Qatar recently won the inaugural Qatar Debate Open Tournament, held at Stenden University in February.
Twelve members of the WCMC-Q debating team were involved in mentoring and training high school students to participate in a debate tournament that mixed and matched high school students with university student mentors. It proved to be a highly successful combination with WCMC-Q, Park House and Qatar International School winning the major prizes.
For WCMC-Q student Emad Alam, it was a double success as he has now been champion of both the Qatar Debate Open Tournament and the national competition. WCMC-Q pre-medical student Alaaeldin Al Sayeed added to the success of the WCMC-Q Debate Club and was named 1st Runner Up.
“This has been a good win for us. We can only improve from here so I am looking forward to later this year when we will have an opportunity to try to reclaim our title as National University Debate Champions’” Alam said.
Team coach and adviser, Assistant Professor Dr. Rodney Sharkey, said he was delighted with the performance of his debaters and was anticipating further successes. “This was an impressive performance from both our students. They performed well under pressure and worked hard to deliver this standard of debate. I am looking forward to great things from them, especially at the national finals in March” he added.
Currently more than 40 students are actively involved in the WCMC-Q Debate Club. In the five-year history of the Qatar National University Finals, WCMC-Q won the title four times. Last year they were beaten in the final by Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar, but expectations for success are high as the team prepares for this year’s final in March.
Results:
Champions: Emad M. Alam (WCMC-Q), Mahmoud Al Awraki (Park House) and Ayman Fadl Al Barri (Park House).
1st Runners Up: Alaaeldin Al Sayeed (WCMC-Q), Izzeldin Sai (QIS) and Umar Rashid (QIS).
2nd Runners Up: Dana Al Ansari (CMU), Majed Al Ansari (Park House) & Safa Kashif (Park House).
