Emirati athletes hope to make history in Asian Winter Games

Squad looking to put the UAE on the medal table for the first time as they brave the cold in Harbin, China

An intrepid team of seven Emiratis are swapping the sand dunes of the UAE for snow slopes in China for a history-making quest for success at the ninth Asian Winter Games.

The UAE will be hoping to bring home a milestone first medal in its third appearance in the week-long event, which will be staged at a ski resort in Harbin, capital city of China's northernmost Heilongjiang Province, from Friday.

The UAE's squad of six men and one woman will be joining 1,500 athletes drawn from 34 nations at the continent's first winter games in eight years.

They will be facing off against Asia's best in the three disciplines - Alpine skiing, freestyle skiing, and snowboarding - all while coping with icy temperatures which could plummet below -20°C.

In Alpine 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 the freestyle skiing, and Amna Al Muhairi and Hamid Al Ansari will take part in the snowboarding.

Planning for winter challenge

"Our national winter sports team is undergoing its final preparations at Ski Dubai before travelling to Harbin," Hamel Al Qubaisi, Vice President of the UAE Winter Sports Federation, told The National ahead of the squad travelling to China. "Ski Dubai has established a long-term plan under which athletes receive training, host practice sessions and hold competitions and championships."

The UAE team put in their final preparations for the Asian Winter Games at Ski Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Preparation a cause for optimism

A six-day training camp in Georgia got the Emirati contestants ready for the challenges ahead. Mr Al Qubaisi added that, through training in and outside the country, athletes are as ready as possible in a technical sense. He hopes the hard work will enable the athletes to "raise the UAE flag high".

"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 Games," said Olivier Saez, Vice President of Global Snow, the company behind Ski Dubai. "We are immensely proud of this significant milestone in our ongoing journey to fuel growth in the region’s winter sports culture."

Abdullah Al Rashid, 18, has been freestyle skiing since 2017. He says he discovered he had a great passion for it and hasn't looked back since.

"I feel very proud of myself to be able to represent the UAE," he told The National. "Not many people have done that before and I'm considered one of the first. I feel honoured to have been chosen. I hope to get on the podium in first place. With the help I've received from my coach, I believe I'll do well."

Alex Estridge, 18, who is competing in the Alpine skiing category, said he has been practicing the sport since he was three. "I've lived in Dubai my whole life and I learnt at Ski Dubai," he said. "I was seven when I did my first race here. Recently, I've competed in the Youth Olympics in Gangwon. I'm excited for the Asian Winter Games, I've never been there. I'm going to try my best and see what I can do."