Dubai The UAE’s Jassim Abdul Rahman Al Awadhi is eyeing a fresh experience and a huge benefit for UAE sport as he proceeds to South Korea to be on the weightlifting arbitration panel at the 2014 Incheon Asian Games starting next week.

Al Awadhi, who currently serves as assistant general secretary at the Emirates Weightlifting Federation (EWF), felt that such a major assignment at his first-ever Asian Games will benefit him and the sport in the UAE in the long run.

“This is a dream come true for me. I have officiated at several international championships in the past, but to be at an Asian Games will go a long way in giving me brand-new experiences which I can then pass on to our weightlifters,” Al Awadhi told Gulf News.

“Personally too it is such a satisfying moment as I will be proudly representing the UAE in keeping with the vision of our leaders. I can’t describe what I feel at this moment,” he added.

After serving in various national competitions, Al Awadhi received his International Refereeing Category 1 badge in 2011. Since then he has travelled regularly officiating at various international world championship. His last assignment was on the arbitration panel at the Asian Weightlifting Championship, the final qualifying competition for Incheon 2014 that was held in Thailand in May this year.

The Inchoen Asian Games will be held from September 19 to October 4 with 439 events in 36 sports and disciplines set to feature during the event. The weightlifting competition is scheduled to be held at the Moonlight Festival Garden Weightlifting Centre from September 20 to 26.

Besides his position with the EWF, Al Awadhi is also on the coaching and research committee of the Asian Weightlifting Federation (AWF) and he serves as the Chairman of technical committee in the GCC Weightlifting Federation. He is scheduled to travel from Dubai to Korea on September 16.

“The Asian Games is a huge break for me. I want to take things one step at a time. Definitely, the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro in two years’ time are at the top of my priority list,” Al Awadhi said.

“Right now I am focused on this assignment. I know I will have my challenges, but I am confident of doing justice. The UAE is well known in the international sporting field even though we are fulfilling our destiny as a young nation,” he added.