The UAE equestrian team has exited the team show jumping competition at the 33rd edition of the Olympic Games being hosted in Paris from July 26 to August 11, featuring 10,500 athletes from 200 national Olympic committees competing in 32 sports through 329 events held across 35 sports facilities. The UAE is participating with 14 male and female athletes competing in 5 different sports.
The UAE show jumping team consisted of Abdullah Al Marri, Omar Al Marzouqi, Ali Al Karbi, and Salem Al Suwaidi, competing among 60 riders representing 20 teams. The top 10 teams qualified for the final event, taking place tomorrow at the Palace of Versailles.
Omar Al Marzouqi began the qualifying round for the team with 12 faults in a time of 76.52 seconds, while rider Ali Al Karbi recorded 44 faults in a time of 94.34 seconds. Abdullah Al Marri concluded the team’s participation with 16 faults in a time of 78.61 seconds. The UAE team finished the qualifying round in eighteenth place with a total of 72 faults and a time of 249.47 seconds.
Additionally, Emirati judoka Dhafir Aram concluded his participation in the Paris Olympics after losing in the Round of 16 in the under 100 kg category to Dutch player Correl Michael. He had previously won against Brazilian opponent Junka Alves Levi in the Round of 32 by ippon during golden score after drawing in the original match time.
Dhafir Aram joined fellow competitors Basharat Khroudi, Narmand Bayyan, and Talal Shfeili. The judo team still has the over 100 kg competition scheduled tomorrow, with player Omar Maarouf set to face Algerian champion Mohamed Mahdi Lili.
Salem Al Suwaidi, a rider on the UAE show jumping team, affirmed that "the team performed well in the team competition at the Paris Olympics, and the riders are highly competent and prepared for the upcoming individual competition," noting that "the long preparation periods and intensive training enhanced the bond among the UAE riders and the spirit of teamwork striving to present an honorable performance befitting the reputation and status of UAE sports, reflecting the unlimited support from His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President of the State, Deputy Prime Minister, and President of the Presidential Court for equestrian sports in the country, along with the attention and support from His Highness Sheikh Hazza bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Ruler of Abu Dhabi, for the nation’s riders, and the generous sponsorship from Sheikha Fatima bint Hazza bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Chairwoman of the Fatima bint Mubarak Academy for Women’s Sports, Chairwoman of the Abu Dhabi Ladies Club, and the Al Ain Ladies Club, owner and founder of Al Shiraa Stables."
Al Suwaidi highlighted that "the UAE show jumping team intensified its preparations over the past period since entering a training camp in Italy in March of this year, which hosted 7 international competitions, before moving to a training camp in the UK as part of the second phase of the preparation program." He clarified that "the entire team benefited from these stages, especially since all riders are highly capable and ready, which enabled them to join the team due to their distinguished results and numbers at both local and international levels."
For his part, Ghanem Al Hajri, Secretary-General of the UAE Equestrian and Racing Federation, stated that "the UAE show jumping team has made qualitative progress and achieved an exceptional accomplishment that secured its place in the Paris 2024 Olympics, thanks to the support and sponsorship of His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan."
On another note, Mohammad Al Mur, President of the UAE Athletics Federation, announced that "the comprehensive plan launched by the federation to discover talents and create champions will contribute to increasing the participation of Emirati athletics in international and Olympic competitions, as it is essential to enhance the development framework of the sport and achieving competitiveness in external championships."
He added, "We aim to prepare a distinguished generation of talented youth and anticipate more achievements in upcoming international competitions. We will continue to prepare them thoroughly and provide all the requirements for excellence and success. We have a strong base of talented young athletes who receive care and attention from relevant parties within the federation's various committees, aligning with our strategic goals of creating champions."
He continued, "There are numerous programs the federation is working on for development, which include organizing competitions, collaborating with clubs, providing comprehensive preparation opportunities through local and foreign camps, participating in external competitions, refining skills, and exchanging experiences with other countries, in addition to hosting regional and international championships. Our strategic goal is to build a capable base of players who possess high skills and abilities to raise the state’s flag in international forums."
Regarding the participation of distinguished athlete Maryam Al Farsi in the Paris 2024 Olympics, he noted that "athlete Maryam Al Farsi will participate in the 100-meter sprint at the Paris Olympics after completing her training camp in Egypt, which focused on enhancing her technical readiness in preparation for the Olympic commitment. We are keen on qualifying her and providing all necessary requirements to instill the confidence she needs. We are confident that her participation will serve as a significant motivator and inspiration for Emirati athletics players to reach the Olympic Games in the coming years."
Emirati runner Maryam Al Farsi conducted her training today, Thursday, before participating in the preliminary round of the 100 m race tomorrow, which will see 36 female athletes compete across 4 heats with 9 athletes in each heat. The top three finishers in each heat, along with the 5 fastest times, will qualify for the first round. American Florence Griffith-Joyner holds the world record in the 100 m event with a time of 10.49 seconds since 1988 at the World Championship in Indiana, USA, while Jamaican Elaine Thompson-Herah holds the Olympic record from the Tokyo 2020 Olympics with a time of 10.61 seconds.
Abdulrahman Suleiman, the technical director of the UAE Athletics Federation, confirmed Maryam Al Farsi's readiness for the race, indicating that the recently concluded camp in Egypt achieved several gains, focusing on key physical and technical aspects, especially as the athlete possesses remarkable numbers and does not finish any race without achieving a new personal best in her career.
