Sport | Other Sports
Ahmad goes to Italy to modify gun for Games
Shaikh Ahmad Mohammad Hasher Al Maktoum, the UAE's Olympic champion, left for Italy yesterday ahead of the Beijing games.
- By Alaric Gomes, Senior Reporter
- Published: 00:04 July 10, 2008
- Image Credit: Gulf News Archive
- Shaikh Ahmad travelled to Europe to carry out some minor modifications to his gun.
Dubai: Shaikh Ahmad Mohammad Hasher Al Maktoum, the UAE's Olympic champion, left for Italy yesterday ahead of the Beijing games.
Shaikh Ahmad travelled to Europe to carry out some minor modifications to his gun and also sort out some paper work during his week-long stay in Italy.
He will visit the Fabbrica d'Armi Pietro Beretta headquarters of the gun makers in Brescia, Italy.
During his stay there, Shaikh Ahmad will test his gun and fine-tune it he heads to Beijing to defend his gold medal during next month's Olympics.
Shooting in the double trap discipline, Shaikh Ahmad won the UAE's first-ever gold medal during the Athens Games four years back.
Following the 2004 Olympics win, he stopped training and competing in the sport.
But a few weeks ago, he decided to make a comeback and go to Beijing to defend his title.
Since then he has been training at the Nad Al Sheba shooting range under supervision of his coach Josh Lakatos, also a former Olympic champion.
"I have been focussed on what I need to do, and anything that I am doing is for my country, for my family and for myself," Shaikh Ahmad told Gulf News before going to the airport.
One of the minor adjustments that needs to be made to his gun is on the aiming frame on the gun barrel.
"After I sort that out I need to get some paperwork done for the gun and that will take time," said Shaikh Ahmad.
He added he was not too pleased with his training schedule.
"I do not have the time, but then at the end of the day I just want to go to Beijing without any sort of pressure and give it my best," said Shaikh Ahmad.
He will return to Dubai on July 19 and continue training till his departure to Beijing with Lakatos on July 28.
"The time is short, but I will do the best I can," said Shaikh Ahmad.
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