Rashid bin Humaid: Our confidence in the national athletes participating in the Paris Olympics knows no bounds
Paris 2024 Olympics... 225 minutes of diverse artistic performances
The impressive results and records of our athletes speak to their technical level and commendable performance in a long journey of hard work and dedication.
We have observed determination and resolve from all athletes and their accompanying technical and administrative teams to reach the required readiness.
The athletes have shown the finest examples of dedication to present the state in a manner befitting its reputation and standing in major sporting events.
Mohamed bin Thaloub: We commend the pioneering role played by the National Olympic Committee in its current term.
Omar Al Marzouqi: The moment of raising the flag at sporting events remains etched in memory.
Swimming and judo kick off the UAE delegation’s participation in the Paris Olympics tomorrow, Sunday.
The 33rd edition of the Summer Olympic Games, hosted by the French capital Paris from 26 July to 11 August, officially opened last Friday on the River Seine. The event features around 7,000 athletes and took place in rainy conditions that persisted until the end of the 225-minute ceremony showcasing diverse artistic performances.
Omar Al Marzouqi, our national equestrian team’s show jumper, and Safiya Al Sayegh, our national cycling team’s athlete, carried the UAE flag during the Paris Olympics opening ceremony. The UAE’s delegation passed by boat on the River Seine in the flag bearers' eipsode, which began with the Greek delegation as Greece is the cradle of the Olympic Games.
Sheikh Rashid bin Humaid Al Nuaimi, Vice President of the National Olympic Committee and Head of the UAE delegation at the Paris Olympic Games, greeted the UAE delegation at the opening ceremony. He was joined by His Excellency Dr. Ahmed Belhoul Al Falasi, Minister of Sports and Vice President of the National Olympic Committee, Chairman of the Executive Office, His Excellency Faris Mohammed Al Mutawa, Secretary General of the National Olympic Committee, and His Excellency Ghanem Mubarak Al Hajri, Director General of the General Sports Authority.
The ceremony, inaugurated by French President Emmanuel Macron from Trocadéro Square in front of the famous Eiffel Tower, was attended by Thomas Bach, President of the International Olympic Committee, and several world leaders and governments. It began with a video at Stade de France featuring comedian Jamel Debbouze and former French football player Zinedine Zidane.
The French capital, Paris, transformed into a large performance arena stretching 6 km along the River Seine, passing by famous French historical landmarks, including Notre-Dame Cathedral. The event was followed by 600,000 spectators, according to the organising committee, who watched from stands specially built for the ceremony along the riverbanks, and about 200,000 from nearby balconies.
A large group of champions and international sports figures took turns carrying the torch, starting with French footballer Zinedine Zidane, followed by Spanish tennis player Rafael Nadal, who transported the torch on a small boat accompanied by American tennis champion Serena Williams and her compatriots swimmer Michael Phelps and runner Carl Lewis, as well as several French Olympic champions, before lighting the suspended Olympic cauldron.
Sheikh Rashid bin Humaid Al Nuaimi reiterated his confidence in the UAE’s athletes participating in the Paris 2024 Olympics based on their commendable results and records, which reflect their technical level and admirable performance in a long journey of hard work and dedication. This dedication continued over consecutive years, passing through all stages of refinement, preparation, and training under the supervision of their sports federations and according to well-studied plans and methodologies implemented gradually to ensure maximum benefit and reap the fruits of sincere efforts in representing the country and competing under its flag against the best athletes from around the world.
Sheikh Rashid bin Humaid Al Nuaimi pointed out that through regular follow-up and monitoring of the activities and programmes of the federations participating in the Paris 2024 Olympics, we observed determination and resolve from all athletes and their accompanying technical and administrative teams to achieve the required readiness and full focus on the event, increasing the frequency of participation and preparations as the event approached. Additionally, many athletes stayed in external training camps and various sports events for extended periods before the start of the Games, coinciding with numerous family-related occasions, presenting the finest examples of dedication to represent the state in a manner befitting its reputation and standing in major sporting events.
The Vice President of the National Olympic Committee and Head of the UAE delegation at the Paris Olympic Games expressed his happiness with the fruitful cooperation among all members of the sports delegation at the Games, noting the continuous coordination and integrated steps aimed primarily at supporting the participating athletes in their mission. Everyone shares the belief in the significance of the responsibility entrusted to them in representing the country in the best possible way and expressing their pride and belonging through achieving commendable accomplishments and distinguished results in the overall participation.
Omar Al Marzouqi, our national equestrian team’s show jumper, expressed his pride and honour at being chosen to carry the UAE flag at the historic opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics, noting that such moments remain etched in memory and represent a bright spot in the careers of all athletes. He wished all members of the sports delegation participating in the event success and added, "I am delighted to start the Paris Olympics by carrying the nation’s flag alongside athlete Safiya Al Sayegh, who has worked hard over the past period. I wish her and all athletes in the five sports in which the UAE delegation is participating great success and positive results that reflect the progress of the Olympic and sports movement in the United Arab Emirates."
Swimming and judo kick off the UAE delegation’s participation in the Games tomorrow, Sunday, with swimmer Maha Abdullah Al Shehhi competing in the 200-metre freestyle event at Paris La Défense Arena, which was inaugurated in 2017 and has a seating capacity of 13,100 spectators. The judo sport also begins its journey tomorrow with athlete Bashelte Karload facing her Chinese counterpart Zhu Yiqing in the under-52 kg category, featuring 26 competitors, and athlete Narmand Beyan facing the veteran South Korean player An Baul in the under-66 kg category, featuring 27 competitors. The judo competitions will be held at Champ de Mars Arena.
His Excellency Mohammed bin Thaloub Al Darei, President of the UAE Judo Federation, praised the pioneering role played by the National Olympic Committee in its current term under the leadership of His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, looking forward to a positive participation in the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. This marks the fifth consecutive participation of UAE judo, which began its Olympic journey at the 2008 Beijing Games, followed by the 2012 London Games, the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games, the 2020 Tokyo Games, and now the 2024 Paris Games. However, the Rio Games will always be memorable in the history of UAE sports, witnessing the historic achievement of UAE judo with our player (Toma) winning the bronze medal in the under-81 kg category, making history as the first Olympic achievement for UAE judo. This accomplishment earned him a place in the wax museum of Madame Tussauds, the world’s most attractive entertainment destination, in its new global branch in Dubai in its 25th edition, alongside a galaxy of celebrities on the sidelines of the World Expo.
Al Darei added that the UAE judo participation in the Paris 2024 Olympics will have a different character, as a new historic achievement for UAE sports with six players from the UAE judo team qualifying directly after a year and a half of intense qualifications at all levels in various weight categories for both genders. Their qualification among the top 18 players globally, not just regionally or through invitation cards, represents an exceptional achievement for UAE sports and judo, which have been making remarkable progress towards a more distinguished future in recent times, looking forward to a positive participation in this strong event where we aim to achieve the aspirations of UAE sports, supported and cared for by our wise leadership.
Japan tops the Olympic medal table in judo for men from 1964 to 2021 since its first appearance in the 1964 Tokyo Olympics until the latest Olympic Games held in the same city in 2021, as well as for women from 1992 to 2021, with a total of 96 coloured medals. France ranks second with a total of 57 coloured medals, and South Korea is third with 46 coloured medals. Mixed judo competitions were approved starting from the last Olympics in Tokyo.
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