Adil Khalid is just 23 years old, but he has many feathers in his cap. He is a rising star of the UAE National Sailing Team. Three years ago, he made his mark as the first Emirati sailor to take part in the Olympic Games. In the same year, he also competed in the Laser World Championship in Australia as well as two rounds of the International European Sailing Championship in Italy and Holland.
To him, the sea is his second home. He loves the beauty of the blue waters and the rush of achievement each voyage gives. Stories of seafaring adventures from his grandfather, father and their friends is what he grew up on and took inspiration from. He took to sailing from the age of 11.
“My dream is to take the UAE flag around the world. I want to sail across oceans and create a unison with the tides. I want the world to know of our rich heritage at sea and recognise us not just for the other marks of progress that we have achieved,” he says.
Having made his mark on the international sailing community, Dubai-born Khalid continues to flex his Laser sailing credentials throughout the GCC and abroad. In 2009, he took the first place in the UAE National Sailing Championship and Saudi Sailing Championship, later he won the second places in the Qatar International Sailing Championship and Bahrain Al Bareh International Regatta.
Last year, Khalid switched his focus to the Asian Games, which took place in Guangzhou, China.
Despite a late arrival and acclimatisation issues, he managed to take the ninth place overall. Having accrued a wealth of experience by competing in two major sporting events, the young Emirati is now keen to put his skills into practice for the Volvo Ocean Race, which comes to Abu Dhabi on New Year’s Eve.
“In the sea, you can see as far as you can see,” he says. “That is how my goals are — I want to see my ability at the horizon — always stretching, always growing. To understand what lies ahead we must always keep moving with trust. In all that I do, I am an explorer because I am eager to learn more and reach the peak of my capacity in the field. I want to do my country proud and bring its glory to the fore.”
