DUBLIN: Egyptian Iman El Farnsawi won the 2007 Women's World Golf Croquet Championship, which was held in the Herbert Park and Carrickmines Sports Clubs in South Dublin, Sept. 3-9, 2007. El Farnsawi, who is ranked ninth in Egypt and plays at Wadi Degla Sporting Club, beat off competition from 38 other competitors representing nine countries to secure the title. Runner-up in the 2006 final, El Farnsawi saw off fellow Egyptian and one-time winner Marwa Moustafa, 31, from Alexandria. The rainy Irish summer threatened to dampen spirits and play at the Championship as it was opened on Sept. 3 by Irish Minister for Arts, Sports and Tourism Seamus Brennan. Fortunately, the weather brightened up for the duration of the competition. And it took only one round of play before the Egyptians began to dominate the competition, culminating in a quarter-finals stage in which seven of the eight remaining players were from Egypt. Only Jenny Williams from New Zealand was left to hold the torch for the non-Egyptian competitors, and she made it through to the semi-finals, where she was knocked out in a thrilling five-game encounter with ultimate winner El Farnsawi. The stage was set for an all-Egyptian final, and the large gathering was not disappointed with the four-game spectacle that ensued, which saw El Farnsawi run out the winner 5-7, 7-4, 7-4, 7-3. To learn more about Golf Croquet visit www.croquet.org.uk
