UAE shooters take aim at glory at 2016 Rio Olympics

United Arab Emirates' shooters Sheikh Saeed bin Maktoum and Saif bin Fetais will be participating in the skeet shooting contest in Rio Olympics, where the duo will be vying for a second Olympic medal in Rio after the UAE’s judoka Sergiu Toma took the bronze in U81 kg judo contest.

They will also try to add to the UAE’s first ever Olympic medal, scooped by Sheikh Ahmed bin Hasher Al Maktoum who won the gold in the double trap at the 2004 Athens Olympics.

Sheikh Saeed bin Maktoum and Saif bin Fetais yesterday participated in the preliminary round, involving 32 shooters, of which the top six shooters will qualify to the finals to be held today at 03:00 Brazil time, 10:00 pm UAE time.

The UAE pins high hopes on the duo, given the vast experience of Sheikh Saeed bin Maktoum who has participated in the last five Olympics events, while Saif bin Fetais is the world’s champion, the top seed in Asia and one of the best 10 archers in the world.

On the other hand, Saud Al Zaabi, the 800m specialist, will participate in the 1,500-metre race on Monday, following his surprise qualification in lieu of Mohammed Omar, the hammer thrower.

Nada Al Badwawi ended her participation in the women's 50 metres freestyle yesterday, while Alia Saeed will be present in the 10000m race.

Major General Ahmed Nasser Al Raisi, Chairman of the Olympic Planning Committee and President of the Shooting Federation, hopes that the UAE shooters would win another medal.

"We are well aware that the Emirati people have placed high hopes in the UAE’s shooters who will be inspired by the achievement made by UAE’s judo player Sergiu Toma who clinched the bronze. The duo is capable of making an achievement as Sheikh Saeed bin Maktoum has participated in the last five Olympics events, while Saif bin Fetais is the world’s champion and the top seed in Asia," added Al Raisi.

The Emirati judoka, Ivan Remarenco, lost his match in the under-100kg contest in round 32 to Algeria’s Laith Bu Yaaqoub. Ivan lost control of the match from the very beginning due to a right hand injury.

Source : WAM