Paris Olympics 2024 a learning curve and 'great experience' for the UAE equestrian team

Al Marri hails the performance of teammate Al Marzooqi and reveals plans are already being put in place to secure qualification for Los Angeles 2028

UAE's Omar Al Marzooqi reached the individual showjumping final. Getty Images

Emirati showjumper Abdullah Al Marri said the UAE's equestrian team will learn from their experiences at the Paris Games and use the lessons to help them qualify for Los Angeles 2028.

Al Marri was part of a 14-strong UAE contingent at the Paris Olympics alongside fellow equestrian teammates Omar Al Marzooqi, Ali Al Karbi and Salem Ahmed Al Suwaidi, cyclist Safia Al Sayegh, 100m sprinter Maryam Al Farsi, and swimmers Yousuf Al Matrooshi and Maha Al Shehhi.

The UAE also sent six judokas to France: Bishreltiin Khorloodoi, Narmandakh Bayanmunkh, Nugzari Tatalashvili, Aram Grigorian, Dzhafar Kostoev, and Magomedomar Magomedomarov.

While the UAE didn't feature among the medals, there were a few highlights to savour, including 21-year-old Al Marzooqi reaching the individual showjumping final, Al Matrooshi setting a personal best and placing second in his heat in the 100m freestyle, and Al Sayegh becoming the first Emirati woman to compete in an Olympic road race. In judo, Grigorian reached the repechage round and was one win away from challenging for a bronze medal.

“For us, Paris was alien territory, and it’s an event that happens once every four years. So, the exposure was very important to understand the level of the competition and live it,” Al Marri told The National.

Abdullah Al Marri during the team jumping competition. AP

“We will analyse everything after the conclusion of the Games. We are working on things even while we speak. There are a lot of lessons learned and, hopefully, it will only make us better going forward.

“The experience in Paris was great, and for sure we will set new goals. First is the World Cup final in Basel in April 2025. So, we will set a plan for qualification as soon as possible with the horses we currently have.”

Paris 2024 was the first time that the UAE equestrian team had qualified for the Olympics since Beijing in 2008, although their campaign ended in the first round. There was personal frustration in the individual event for Al Marri, who was forced to retire during the qualifier, while Al Suwaidi finished outside the top 30 to miss the final.

However, Al Marzooqi represented the UAE in the individual final and placed a creditable 19th out of 30 on his Olympics debut.

“Omar’s performance was exceptional, first being the youngest competitor, plus having to do such a performance at this stage will only boost his confidence to the roof,” Al Marri said.

“For us as a small nation in such a sport that’s been dominated by Europe and the USA, it’s a leap forward for all of us. It’s the first time any of us reached an individual final, that’s including the World Cup and the World Equestrian Games, so it’s a huge achievement for the UAE.”

Nasser Al Tamimi, general secretary of the UAE Wrestling and Judo Federation, said they achieved the main objective of getting six judokas qualified for the Olympics but admitted they fell short in hopes of securing a medal.

“It was the first Olympics for all of them,” Al Tamimi said. “We were hopeful of a medal or two after having six of them qualified for Paris, but unfortunately we fell short of that goal.

“However, we are satisfied with our programme and they will follow the same pathway to qualify for LA and achieve better results, hopefully. It will be the same schedule for them again, participating in the IJF competitions throughout the year.”