· Yousef Al Matrooshi completes preparations for the 100m freestyle with 79 participating swimmers
· Talal Shafili faces Puerto Rican champion Gandia Adrian in the under 81kg judo category
· Rashid Bin Humaid meets the Vice President of the International Olympic Committee and the President of the World Anti-Doping Agency
· Al Raisi: With the support of Mansour Bin Zayed, equestrian sports have achieved significant accomplishments
· Faris Al-Mutawa: We are keen to establish a positive image and impressions for the UAE sports delegation in Paris
The UAE sports delegation continues its journey tomorrow, Tuesday, in the 33rd edition of the Summer Olympic Games hosted by the French capital, Paris. The event features 10,500 athletes from 200 national Olympic committees competing in 32 sports through 329 events held across 35 sports venues. The UAE is represented by 14 athletes competing in five sports: equestrian, judo, cycling, swimming, and athletics.
Yousef Al Matrooshi, our national swimmer, will compete in the 100m freestyle race, which includes 79 swimmers, among them the Chinese Olympic champion Pan Zhanle, who holds the record and gold medal in the 4x100m relay at the Paris 2024 Olympics with a time of 46.92 seconds. Pan is the fifth swimmer in history to record under 47 seconds in the 100m freestyle, having also won seven medals at the last Asian Games in Hangzhou.
Talal Shafili, our national judo player, will face Puerto Rican champion Gandia Adrian in the under 81kg preliminary round at the Paris Olympics, with 33 players participating in this category.
Yousef Al Matrooshi has completed his preparations for the 100m freestyle race following a training program set by Marwan Al Hattawi, the national swimming team coach, focusing on mental and psychological aspects, training multiple times in the competition pool before the official race date. "The preparations for the Paris Olympics have gone very well with my university team in the USA this summer. I had a specific training plan from my arrival until the race on the 30th of this month,” said Al Matrooshi. He added: “The plan included aerobic and speed sessions, essential and activation exercises, focusing on specific race elements such as the start. My training is going well, and I have quickly adapted to the competition pool."
The UAE sports delegation began participation in the Paris 2024 Olympics with Khorloodoi Bishrelt, our national judo player, who was eliminated in the round of 16 by Germany’s Mascha Ballhaus, the bronze medallist at the 2024 Abu Dhabi World Championship. Additionally, Narmand Bayan, our national judo player, was eliminated in the round of 32 in the under 66kg category by South Korea’s veteran player An Baul. Maha Al Shehhi, our national swimmer, finished 28th in the 200m freestyle event, breaking her previous personal record (2:17.37) with a new time of 2:17.17 minutes.
Sheikh Rashid Bin Humaid Al Nuaimi, Vice President of the National Olympic Committee and Head of the UAE delegation participating in the Paris Olympics, received Nicole Hoevertsz, Vice President of the International Olympic Committee, and Witold Bańka, President of the World Anti-Doping Agency, at the UAE Olympic House in Paris. They discussed mutual topics of interest, reviewed the committee's activities, and the latest updates from the Paris Olympics, and learned about WADA’s efforts and programs to achieve drug-free sports.
Sheikh Rashid Bin Humaid Al Nuaimi also met with the UAE police support team from the Ministry of Interior, who are participating in securing the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. He expressed gratitude and appreciation for the significant efforts made by the police team at this major event and praised the commendable performance of national cadres in all events, reflecting the readiness and competence of UAE citizens for various tasks at all levels.
His Excellency Major General Dr. Ahmed Nasser Al Raisi, President of the UAE Equestrian and Racing Federation confirmed that equestrian sports have made significant leaps, strategic achievements, and tangible progress, thanks to the support and patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister, and Minister of the Presidential Court. His unlimited support for the development of this sport in the country has enabled UAE nationals to acquire the best skills and practices to achieve global competitiveness.
The President of the UAE Equestrian and Racing Federation also praised the support of Sheikha Fatima Bint Hazza Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Chairwoman of the Board of Directors of the Fatima Bint Mubarak Women Sports Academy, Chairwoman of Abu Dhabi Ladies Club and Al Ain Ladies Club, owner and founder of Al Shiraa Stables, for the show jumping team. He appreciated the preparations provided before their participation in the Paris 2024 Olympics and commended the efforts of Al Shiraa Stables in preparing riders for international championships, reaching this professional stage of global performance and advanced technical levels.
"Over the past years, we have reached advanced stages in performance and results, contributed by various factors, including interaction with elite riders and global teams through the championships hosted by the country, such as the President's Cup, and the Longines Nations Cup Jumping League 'February 2024', with the participation of the top 10 world teams," said Al Raisi. "Additionally, international show jumping championships held in Dubai, Sharjah, and Al Ain have contributed significantly."
Commenting on the efforts of equestrian clubs in the country and their role in the development of the sport, Major General Dr. Ahmed Nasser Al Raisi said, "Equestrian sports in the country have developed thanks to a comprehensive work and a partnership between the federation and specialized clubs. Their efforts in implementing advanced programs, participating in various events, developing the capabilities of riders, and positively participating in all competitive programs and training courses for national cadres are commendable."
His Excellency Faris Mohammed Al Mutawa, Secretary-General of the National Olympic Committee, confirmed that the UAE sports delegation participating in the Paris Olympics carries great ambitions and hopes, aiming to establish a positive image and impressions that align with the remarkable progress and immense achievements of the UAE on all levels.
Al Mutawa commended the speech of His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Second Deputy Ruler of Dubai and President of the National Olympic Committee, urging athletes to benefit from inspiring national sports models that have raised the country's flag on the podiums of major sports events and to continue striving for more successes in the name of the nation and always raising its flag.
“Ambitions are renewed with every participation, and the ultimate goal remains the name and status of the country on the global sports map. Participating in the Olympic Games is an exceptional event not only for athletes but for all delegation members, especially when we strive to give our best in representing the UAE, whether in the current participation or future events such as the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, following the commendable achievement at the last Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, where we achieved 20 medals for the first time in our continental participation history. This motivates us to surpass this number and achieve the best results," Al Mutawa said.
The total budget for organizing the Paris Olympics is €4.4 billion, including €1.5 billion for tickets, licenses, and merchandise, €1.2 billion contributed by the International Olympic Committee, €1.2 billion from Paris 2024 marketing partners, and €0.2 billion from government funding, with 96% from the private sector. The total budget for the "Solideo" infrastructure, the public sector organization in France responsible for financing and overseeing the Olympic facilities and providing the necessary development and redevelopment works for hosting the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Paris, is €4.5 billion, including €2.8 billion from the private sector and €1.7 billion from the public sector. All facilities were designed considering their legacy and sustainability, to be reused after the games as public facilities, residential units, and offices.
Japan and South Korea share the top position in the overall medal table at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at the start of the sixth day, with each country having 7 medals, including 4 golds, 2 silvers, and 1 bronze. Australia is in second place with 6 medals, including 4 golds and 2 silvers. The United States is in fourth place with 12 medals, including 3 golds, 6 silvers, and 3 bronzes. France, the host country, is in fifth place with 8 medals, including 3 golds, 3 silvers, and 2 bronzes. Tunisia is in 16th place with 1 silver medal, and Egypt is in 22nd place with 1 bronze medal.
Note: The medal standings were added based on the overall standings as of the time of sending this press release.
Comments