UAE Sends 14 Athletes To Compete In Paris 2024 Olympic Games

The National Olympic Committee (NOC) has disclosed the UAE's plans for the 33rd Summer Olympic Games in Paris, France, from July 26 to August 11, 2024. This event will feature 10,500 athletes from 200 National Olympic Committees competing in 32 sports across 329 events at 35 venues. The Games will also see the participation of 20,000 media representatives and 45,000 volunteers.

The UAE delegation includes 14 athletes supported by a team of 24 administrative, technical, and medical staff. These athletes will compete in five sports: equestrian, judo, cycling, swimming, and athletics. The national equestrian team for show jumping comprises Abdullah Humaid Al Muhairi, Abdullah Al Marri, Omar Al Marzouqi, Salem Al Suwaidi, and Ali Al Karbi. Four of these athletes will be selected for final participation soon.

The national judo team consists of six athletes: Narmand Bayan (under 66 kg), Talal Shvili (under 81 kg), Aram Gregorian (under 90 kg), Dhafer Aram (under 100 kg), Omar Marouf (over 100 kg), and Bashirat Kharoudi (under 52 kg in women's lightweight). Cyclist Safia Al Sayegh will compete in the road race, marking her as the first Emirati female cyclist to qualify for the Olympics.

Swimmer Yousef Rashid Al Matroushi will participate in the 100m freestyle event while Maha Abdullah Al Shehi will compete in the 200m freestyle. Runner Maryam Mohammed Al Farsi is set to compete in the 100m race. Omar Al Marzouqi has been given the honour of carrying the UAE flag during the opening ceremony on July 26.

During a press conference held at Dubai's Shindagha Museum on Friday, Faris Mohammed Al Mutawaa, Secretary General of the NOC, expressed gratitude to H.H. Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum for his support. He stated that Sheikh Ahmed’s guidance ensures that all necessary facilities are provided to help athletes perform their best and achieve success for UAE sports.

Al Mutawaa congratulated all participating sports federations for their hard work over the past four years leading up to this historic moment. He said: "Congratulations to everyone for this distinction and leadership." He also expressed confidence in the UAE delegation's ability to replicate past Olympic successes from 2004 and 2016.

Inauguration of UAE House

Al Mutawaa announced the inauguration of the UAE House alongside their participation in Paris. He said: "I am pleased and honoured to announce to all attendees the inauguration of the UAE House in Paris alongside the UAE's participation in the Olympic Games." The UAE House will showcase national heritage and cultural legacies and offer visitors a unique experience from July 27 to August 11.

The opening ceremony of Paris Olympics will be unique as it takes place outside a stadium for the first time on Seine River with about 160 boats participating. This adds a special historical character to this edition of the Games.

Al Mutawaa reiterated his confidence in UAE athletes' abilities to perform well at these Games. He highlighted that equal participation rates between males and females are among several motivating factors making this edition special. He assured that from now until the end of the event, full support would be provided to all athletes.

The Secretary General invited sports councils within UAE to attend both general Olympic competitions and those featuring UAE athletes. Visitors are encouraged to explore activities at UAE House daily from July 27 through August 11 between10 AMand8 PMfree of charge.

This comprehensive plan underscores UAE’s commitment towards achieving excellence at international sporting events while promoting its rich cultural heritage globally through initiatives like UAE House.

With inputs from WAM