Al Hammadi Claims First Gold for UAE in Paragliding at 3rd GCC Beach Games in Oman

Abdullah Nasser Al Hammadi, a member of the UAE national paragliding team, secured the gold medal on Saturday, during the opening day of the 3rd GCC Beach Games, held from 5 to 11 April in the Sultanate of Oman. The event features the participation of 330 male and female athletes competing in eight sports across 39 competitions.

The UAE is competing in all eight beach disciplines featured in the Games: beach football, beach handball, beach volleyball, athletics, tent pegging, sailing, swimming, and paragliding, fielding a delegation of 77 male and female athletes.

Al Hammadi claimed first place with a total of 2,350 points. Omani competitor Khalil Al Toobi secured the silver medal with 2,175 points, while his compatriot Abdulaziz Al Dhahli took bronze with 2,000 points.

The competition witnessed intense rivalry among top pilots from GCC countries, with the UAE team standing out for its technical excellence and tactical discipline.

Following his victory, Abdullah Nasser Al Hammadi stated: “I dedicate this gold medal to the leadership and people of the UAE. I am extremely proud to represent my country and achieve this honour. I extend my sincere thanks to the Emirates Aerosports Federation for its ongoing support of the team throughout our preparation and during the competition. Their backing was instrumental to our success.”

The Emirates Aerosports Federation dedicated the achievement to the country’s leadership and people in recognition of their unwavering support and guidance, which have laid the foundation for excellence. The Federation also acknowledged the valuable support and oversight of the UAE National Olympic Committee and the sponsoring bodies, whose contributions were vital to the success of the national delegation.

His Excellency Nasser Al Neyadi, President of the Emirates Aerosports Federation, affirmed that the UAE’s victory in this championship reflects the nation’s leading status in aerosports, describing it as the result of collective effort and long-term commitment to developing national talent. He added: “We are proud of this achievement and remain committed to supporting all initiatives that raise the UAE flag at international events.”

His Excellency Yousef Hassan Al Hammadi, Vice President of the Emirates Aerosports Federation, expressed pride in the victory, which he said exemplifies the sporting spirit and technical discipline of the team. He extended his thanks to everyone who contributed to this honourable result.

Dhuha Al Bishr carried the UAE flag during the official opening ceremony of the 3rd GCC Beach Games, held at the Lake Theatre in Qurum Natural Park, Muscat, on Saturday. The Games are being staged with the participation of six GCC countries: the Sultanate of Oman, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, and Bahrain.

Dhuha Al Bishr is an accomplished Emirati sailor who represents the UAE at international sporting events. Her passion for sailing began at the age of eleven, encouraged and supported by her father, her greatest motivator. She has earned numerous titles, most notably the Arab Champion in 2024. She has also competed in international championships alongside some of the world’s top professional sailors.

The UAE delegation attended the opening ceremony, in the presence of His Excellency Faris Mohammed Al Mutawa, Secretary-General of the UAE National Olympic Committee; His Excellency Ghanem Mubarak Rashid Al Hajeri, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Sports; His Excellency Sheikh Suhail bin Butti Al Maktoum, Executive Director of the Sports Development Sector at the Ministry of Sports; Dr Ali Mohammed Al Shumaili, Deputy Head of Mission at the UAE Embassy in Muscat; His Excellency Nasser Al Neyadi, President of the Emirates Aerosports Federation; His Excellency Mohammed bin Darwish, Executive Director of the UAE National Olympic Committee; and His Excellency Mohammed Al Obaidli, Secretary-General of the UAE Sailing and Rowing Federation.

On Monday, the UAE national beach volleyball team is scheduled to face both Oman and Kuwait. Meanwhile, the UAE national beach handball team will play its third match against Bahrain, following a 2–0 loss to host nation Oman in the opening match. The team will also face Saudi Arabia on Sunday evening at the sand court of the Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex in Bousher.

The UAE national beach football team will begin its campaign against Saudi Arabia, while the UAE paragliding team will compete in the final three rounds of their event on Monday, entering with high morale following Al Hammadi’s gold medal win on the tournament’s opening day.

Badr Harib, Manager of the UAE national beach football team, confirmed that the team had undergone a comprehensive preparation programme ahead of the Games. This included training camps in both Oman and the Kingdom of Bahrain, along with a series of friendly matches against international teams such as Senegal, Belarus, Saudi Arabia, and Lebanon, all of which contributed to building the team’s form.

Harib stated that the UAE team had aspired to win the AFC Beach Soccer Cup recently held in Thailand, but circumstances did not align with their goals. He said: “Our unexpected and disappointing quarter-final exit will be a strong motivator for us to give everything we have in pursuit of gold at the GCC Beach Games in Oman.”

He added: “The team travelled to Thailand on 3 March and underwent an 18-day training camp before the championship. We started the tournament strongly in the group stage and had a very competitive match against Iran. However, we were caught off guard in the quarter-finals and exited the tournament at the hands of Oman. The team reconvened the day after Eid to prepare for this cherished Gulf tournament. God willing, we will deliver a commendable performance and strive with all our efforts to secure the gold medal.”

On Sunday, the UAE national tent pegging team arrived in Muscat to participate in the Games. Monday will feature the draw and practice sessions, during which horses will be allocated and roles assigned at the competition venue.

Competitions will begin on Tuesday with the lance discipline, including individual, pairs, and team events. On Wednesday, the sword events will follow the same structure. The final day will feature the suspended targets competition using both lance and sword, in addition to relay races.