Largest UAE Participation in Asian Winter Games
Seven athletes representing the UAE in three different sports
Completing a successful national team training camp in Georgia under three distinct weather conditions
The United Arab Emirates is set to participate in the 9th Asian Winter Games, hosted in Harbin, China, from 7 to 14 February, featuring 1,500 athletes from 34 Asian National Olympic Committees.
This marks the UAE’s third appearance in the Asian Winter Games and its largest participation in terms of the number of sports since its debut at the 7th edition in 2011, held in Almaty and Astana, Kazakhstan, where the UAE competed solely in ice hockey. The country’s second participation in 2017 saw an expansion to two disciplines—Ice Hockey and Figure Skating.
For Harbin 2024, the UAE will be represented by seven athletes—six male and one female—competing in three disciplines: Slalom Skiing, Freestyle Skiing, and Snowboarding.
In Slalom Skiing, the UAE representatives will be Hassan Al Fardan, Abdullah Al Baloushi, and Alex Estridge. Abdullah Al Rashid and Sultan Al Kendi will compete in Freestyle Skiing, while Amna Al Muhairi and Hamid Al Ansari will take part in Snowboarding.
The UAE delegation will commence its participation on 8 February, with Slalom Skiing and Snowboarding competitions.
The UAE Winter Sports Team concluded an intensive external training camp in Georgia, which spanned six consecutive days with seven hours of training per day. The camp focused on technical enhancements, adaptation to different weather conditions, and maximising performance at this prestigious continental event.
The official Games hotel, ‘Huake,’ reopened last Monday following extensive renovations. Located within the same complex that houses the main media centre and venues for the opening and closing ceremonies, the 41-story hotel, originally built in 2005, now boasts 625 rooms and has been specifically upgraded for the Asian Winter Games.
With the capacity to accommodate over 900 athletes, officials, and accompanying delegations, Huake will also feature a medical centre, an anti-doping testing facility, and various other services to support the participating athletes.
Hamel Ahmed Al Qubaisi, Vice President of the UAE Winter Sports Federation, said: "The participation of Emirati athletes for the third time in the Asian Winter Games is credited to the support and guidance of the wise leadership, which encourages national representation in international events to inspire young Emiratis to engage in sports and enhance their skills through continuous competition. This participation is the largest in terms of the diversity of sports, including slalom skiing, freestyle skiing, and snowboarding."
He added that the athletes are fully prepared from a technical standpoint, having undergone training both inside and outside the country in recent months, with the aim of competing at the highest level and raising the UAE flag high, God willing.
Our national winter sports team is undergoing its final preparations at Ski Dubai before traveling to Harbin. Ski Dubai, as one of the biggest supporters of the Winter Sports Federation, has established a long-term partnership plan and a cooperation agreement under which athletes receive training, host practice sessions, and hold competitions and championships. This initiative aims to elevate the sport and provide all necessary resources to prepare national teams for international and Olympic participation, with a primary focus on the Cortina 2026 Winter Games.
“Majid Al Futtaim remains committed to nurturing and showcasing the exceptional talents of young Emiratis,” said Olivier Saez, Vice President of Global Snow, Majid Al Futtaim Entertainment. “Together with our long-standing partners, the UAE Winter Sports Federation, we have dedicated essential resources, expert trainers, and supported training programmes in various countries as part of our broader strategy to prepare our athletes for the upcoming Asian Winter Games Harbin 2025. We are immensely proud of this significant milestone in our ongoing journey to fuel growth in the region’s winter sports culture.”
Kommentarer