UAE Sprinter Maryam Al-Farsi Intensifies Training For Paris Olympics 100m Race

Maryam Al Farsi, a sprinter from the UAE national team, is set to compete in the 100-metre race at the Paris 2024 Olympics. She completed her training on Thursday and will participate in the preliminary round tomorrow. The event includes 36 sprinters divided into four rounds, with nine athletes in each round. The top three from each round and the next five fastest times will move on to the first round.

American Griffith Joyner Florence holds the world record for the 100-metre race, clocking 10.49 seconds at the 1988 World Championships in Indianapolis, USA. Meanwhile, Jamaican Thompson-Herah Elaine set the Olympic record with a time of 10.61 seconds at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.

Brigadier General Dr. Mohammed Al Mur, President of the UAE Athletics Federation, highlighted a comprehensive plan aimed at discovering talents and creating champions within UAE athletics. He emphasised that this initiative would boost UAE's participation in international and Olympic events by establishing a robust development system for the sport.

Regarding Al Farsi's participation in Paris, Al Mur stated, "Maryam Al Farsi will participate in the 100-metre sprint at the Paris Olympics after completing her preparation camp in Egypt, where we focused on enhancing her technical readiness for the event. We are keen to prepare her and provide all necessary requirements to grant her confidence."

Abdulrahman Suleiman, Technical Director of the UAE Athletics Federation, confirmed Al Farsi's readiness for the race. He noted that she holds state records for both junior and youth stages in the 100-metre race with a time of 13.04 seconds.

The federation's efforts aim to inspire more UAE track and field athletes to reach future Olympic Games. "We are highly confident that her participation will serve as a significant and inspiring motivation for UAE track and field athletes to reach the Olympic Games in the coming years," added Al Mur.

The upcoming preliminary round will be crucial for Al Farsi as she aims to advance further in this prestigious competition.

With inputs from WAM