ABU DHABI // Abdullah Sultan Al Aryani, winner of a shooting gold for the UAE at the 2012 London Paralympics Games, will be hoping to repeat that feat when he leads a 14-member team to the 2016 Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro from September 7-18.
In his first attempt at the Paralympics, Al Aryani narrowly missed out on making the final round at the Beijing Games in 2008 before striking gold in London four year later in the mixed R6-50M air rifle prone SH1 competition.
The UAE team’s other medal hopes are Mohammed Al Qaid, who bagged a silver and bronze in the 200 and 100-metre cycling in London, and powerlifter Mohammed Khamis Khalaf, who won gold at 2004 Athens and silver at Beijing four years later.
The rest of the team are made up of Abdullah Hassan Hayati, Rashid Matar Al Dhaheri, Noora Khalifa Al Ketbi, Zainab Al Braiki, Sara Mohammed Al Sanani, Siham Masood Al Rashidi, shooters Obaid Al Dahmani and Said Mohammed Al Nuaimi, and powerlifters Ahmad Khamis Noori, Haifa Rashid and Al Naqbi.
According to Mohammed Fadel Al Hameli, chairman of the UAE Disabled Sports Federation, the athletes are well prepared and are confident they leave a mark in Rio by improving the three medals (gold, silver and bronze) they won in London.
“The shooters are undergoing their final piece of work in Al Ain and the rest of the squad are in a camp in the Czech Republic,” he said.
“I need to emphasis the role of the disabled clubs across the country that have helped these athletes by providing more opportunities to compete and creating an environment to reach a high level both locally and internationally.”
apassela@thenational.ae
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