UAE athletes had a frustrating day Paralympic Games in Beijing yesterday. Abdullah al Aryabi came 14th in the men's R7-50m free rifle competition. Aryabi, 38, will also compete in the mixed R3-10m air rifle today and the mixed R6-50m free rifle event tomorrow. Fellow Emirati Thuraya al Zaabi came 16th in the women's discus final. Ibrahim Salim Banihammad runs today for the UAE in the men's 800m.
Meanwhile, David Roberts' quest to become Britain's most successful Paralympian will go on even if the swimmer wins five golds in Beijing to surpass Dame Tanni Grey-Thompson's mark of 11. The athlete from Cardiff had won seven golds in Sydney and Athens, but if he doesn't get to 12 here, then he will have another go at the 2012 Games in London. Grey-Thompson's name is synonymous with Paralympic athletics and she has stayed involved with the sport since retiring.
She believes Great Britain could learn from Holland in the run-up to London 2012. Uri Coronel, a director of the football team Ajax Amsterdam,, devised a scheme in which sponsors across all sports contribute to the national Paralympic governing body as part of their contracts with teams. Grey-Thompson believes the arrangement could work in the United Kingdom, particularly if Barclays Premier League football clubs are involved.
She said: "It would be an amazing way to get a really healthy amount of money. It would show how committed sponsors are to believing in Paralympic sport." * with agencies @email:akunawicz@thenational.ae
