Ahmad tips his wards for top London honours

Dubai: Recovering from a heart ailment, Shaikh Ahmad Bin Hasher Al Maktoum — the UAE's lone Olympic gold medallist — is tipping one of his students to replicate his performance at the London Games later this year.

"I picked up Shaikh Juma [Bin Dalmouk Al Maktoum] from nowhere and turned him into a champion. He is now with the UAE Shooting Association and it is left up to them what they want to do with him. And then I have Peter [Wilson], who has shown an amazing capacity to win. So I tip one of the two to go all the way," Shaikh Ahmad said yesterday.

Shaikh Ahmad, who was in the running for an Olympic spot until he was advised to take complete rest by his doctor due to an heart condition, is not even sure if he will make it to London as coach to one of his two pupils.

"As of now I have done my duty as coach. Both my students are ready for the Olympics and I don't even know if I will be there or I will spend my time in the desert without even watching it on television," Shaikh Ahmad said.

Shaikh Ahmad, who won the double trap gold medal at the 2004 Athens Games, has been training both the shooters in Dubai. The 25-year-old Wilson arrived only yesterday for a concentrated three-week training camp here, after which he will travel to Doha and spend another week there.

Champion material

"Peter is one of the favourites at the Olympics for sure as he has the talent," Shaikh Ahmad said. "Last year he showed what he is capable of by becoming the world number one and also winning gold and silver at two World Cup competitions. But the best advantage he has is that he is young, which means that he has the time and room for improvement," he added.

Shaikh Ahmad was critical of the way in which sport has stagnated in the UAE. "Nothing has changed here. I am sorry if someone is going to take this personally, but the fact remains that there has been no significant change in the way we treat our sportspersons," he said.

"As I have said before, Shaikh Juma is with the authorities and I hope they plan a good training programme for him so that he can deliver his best at the top level when the Olympics are on. There is nothing more that I can possibly do now."