National Olympic Committee chief backs UAE to put on strong show

The head of the UAE's Olympic committee has backed the country's athletes to put on a strong show in Paris.

His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Second Deputy Ruler of Dubai and Chairman of the National Olympic Committee, has directed the officials in charge of the UAE contingent to ensure they have access to the best facilities and support teams throughout the Games.

He acknowledged the tremendous support provided by the country’s leadership to the sports sector and hailed the efforts of all local sports bodies in preparing the UAE team for the event.

Sheikh Ahmed also applauded the UAE Olympic House initiative being promoted on the sidelines of the event to boost the participation of national cadres across various sporting disciplines.

The UAE contingent for Paris includes 14 athletes who are accompanied by 24 administrators, technicians and therapists. These athletes will compete in five disciplines: equestrian, judo, cycling, swimming and athletics.

The equestrian team, which will participate in the show jumping competition, includes Abdullah Al Marri, Omar Al Marzooqi, Ali Al Kirbi and Salem Al Suwaidi.

The national judo team consists of five male and one female athlete: Narmand Bayan in the under 66 kg category, Talal Shveili (under 81 kg), Aram Grigorian (under 90 kg), Dhafir Aram (under 100 kg), Omar Marouf (over 100 kg) and Besharat Khoroudi in the women's lightweight category under 52 kg.

Safiya Al Sayegh will represent the UAE in cycling's road race event, making her the first Emirati athlete to qualify for the Olympics in cycling.

Swimmer Yousuf Rashid Al Matrooshi will compete in the 100m freestyle, and swimmer Maha Abdullah Al Shehi will compete in the 200m freestyle, while Mariam Mohammed Al Farsi will participate in the 100m sprint.

The Games’ opening ceremony takes place on Friday on the River Seine at 9:30 pm UAE time and will see the UAE flag carried aloft by Omar Al Marzouqi and Safiya Al Sayegh.

For the very first time, the opening ceremony is to be held outside a stadium, with a total of 94 boats carrying 10,500 athletes across a 6km route in a ceremony that will last 3 hours and 45 minutes.

.@AhmedMohammed, Second Deputy Ruler of #Dubai and Chairman of the @UAENOC, backs UAE Olympic contingent to put on a strong show that reflects the leadership’s vision for the sports sector.https://t.co/GVwNaPlrpM pic.twitter.com/6dG8Jj0bfu

— Dubai Media Office (@DXBMediaOffice) July 25, 2024

.@AhmedMohammed: The leadership’s vision for the sports sector has inspired #UAE athletes to strive for success at the international level and register impressive achievements in various sporting arenas, including the Olympics, where athletes from across the world compete while… pic.twitter.com/10J8KFI8XC

— Dubai Media Office (@DXBMediaOffice) July 25, 2024