(MENAFN- Khaleej Times) Athletics basketball shooting powerlifting and fencing the disciplines to watch out for.
The seasoned UAE contingent will be eyeing top podium finish in athletics basketball shooting powerlifting and fencing respectively at the second Asian Para Games in Incheon South Korea from Saturday.
The stupendous efforts of legends and veterans Mohammed Khamis Khalaf (powerlifting) and Thuraya Al Zaabi (athletics) who are still active are enough to inspire the present day generation.
The main venue of the recent 17th Asiad in South Korea — the Incheon Munhak Stadium — returns to the main fold of international sports action when the Para Games will be held until October 24.
About 45 nations have confirmed their participation in 23 disciplines and the Games organisers expect close to 3000 athletes and officials to arrive in Incheon.
This is the largest participation in the history of the UAE physically challenged sports scene where 63 athletes will participate in 10 disciplines including the new events for them in judo archery and fencing.
The UAE athletes will be on the lookout for major honours after their great show at the London Olympics Paralympics event and the first official Para Games in Asia.
The UAE won a total of 11 medals (4 gold 6 silver 1bronze) to finish 10th at the first Asian Para Games in Guangzhou in 2010 after the Asiad there.
Mohammed Al Hamli Chairman of the UAE Disabled Sports Federation in a statement during the recent launch of the contingent’s specialised camp in Dubai said: “The participation is not limited to people with disabilities but we are working with their peers without disabilities because the goal is to promote integration.”
Ahmed Al Hammadi Chairman of the UAE Paralympics Technical Committee said: “The UAE salutes its heroes in full force by increasing the training sessions and the establishment of camps inside and outside the country.”
As rightly coined out — ‘A Wave of Passion Now Begins!’ is the slogan for a week of high octane action in the various disciplines.
One of the UAE’s biggest achievements in Paralympic sports to date is the gold medal claimed by marksman Abdullah Sultan Al Aryani at the London Paralympic Games in 2012.
A long time international shooting exponent long before he met with a tragic road accident Al Aryani 42 now wheelchair ridden is one of the UAE’s best hopes in Incheon in the mixed R6-50m rifle prone-SH1 shooting competition.
Al Hamli then said: “When we compare this achievement with the size of the UAE we can easily say that this is among the biggest achievements in UAE sport for a long time and it was not easy despite all the hard work put in by the athletes coaches and officials.”
Thuraya who finished 11th in the F33/34/52/54 class women’s javelin throw in London is a regular 12.5-13-metre para athlete.
Double Paralympics medallist Mohammed Hammadi of Sharjah narrowly missed out on a gold in the men’s 200m sprint (wheelchair). He also won the bronze in the 100m at the London Olympics.
Hammadi who trains at the Thiqa Club in Sharjah had won two gold medals and one silver at the IPC World Athletics Championship in 2011. “My next goal is to break the world record. It used to be mine for a whole year. This is my goal in Brazil 2016. I won’t be talking about gold or about medals I want nothing less than a world record” he told media.
The impact created by the heroes of the Paralympics team was of a high order paving the way for a photo exhibition organised by The British Council in cooperation with the National Olympic Committee and the National Paralympic Committee at the Sharjah Museum of Islamic Civilisation to celebrate the success of the Emirati athletes.
UAE qualified for the Incheon Para Games basketball championship with a bronze at the five-day 6th Fazza International Wheelchair Basketball — IWBF West Asian Championship 2014 championship at Al Ahli Club in Dubai a Khaleej Times report earlier this year said.
Kuwait clinched the gold when they squeezed past favourites Iraq 42-41 in a thrill a minute title clash.The UAE outpaced Saudi Arabia 71-44 in the bronze playoff earlier the same night for the third and final Incheon berth.
UAE coach Ahmed Jassim told the Khaleej Times: “We dedicate this win to the leaders of the UAE who have supported the Paralympic movement in the country. The players are looking forward to the Asian Paralympic Games in Incheon and are training hard.”
UAE’s Tariq Ali Abdallah was one of the five players to be honoured with the Best Player of the Tournament trophy and prize at the regional wheelchair basketball in Dubai.
The other main hopes for medal conquest come from powerlifter Khalaf; Abdulla Sultan Al Neryany in shooting; and Mohamed Al Habsi in fencing. There is an atmosphere of big expectations and high spirits as the UAE Paralympics athletes prepare before their trip to the far north east of Asia. The excitement among the UAE hopefuls is almost sky high as they train and gear up for the new challenges ahead of them.
Marksmen Ghuloom Khurshid is highly optimistic of winning a gold and is followed by Mohammed Al Shehhi who won silver in an international archery competition in Dubai recently. Khor Fakkan’s athletes Abdullah Naqbi and Saif Al Zaabi along with Mozah Zouaydi; Mary Zouaydi; Sendih Abdouly ; Haifa Naqbi and Ajman Club’s Naimi are the other strong candidates for medals. monikhaleejtimes.com
UAE medal hopes in:
a) Athletics
b) Shooting
c) Basketball
d) Fencing
e) Powerlifting
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