Dubai:The UAE's lone Olympic gold medalist Shaikh Ahmad Hasher Al Maktoum spends his time spotting shooting talent and trying to develop it further in his quest to find someone who can match his feat.
After nearly six years, the road has been long and tough, but things are looking up for the UAE champion as he balances his time between family and his passion — finding a shooter of the highest calibre.
Shaikh Ahmad has single-handedly pursued this task, organising shooting competitions in an attempt to identify talent at the grass roots. The UAE Olympic medalist says there is hope. Below are excerpts from the interview.
GULF NEWS: What have you been up to lately?
Shaikh Ahmad Hasher Al Maktoum: Oh, I have been spending [my] time with my family. At the same time, I am staying away from competition and stress and also staying... away from sports and its politics — the main virus that is ruining our sport in the UAE. But most of all I am enjoying the most of the support of Shaikh Hamdan Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, to realise the dream of a nation.
This competition has been a result of your personal initiative. Don't you think the UAE Shooting Federation needs to be doing this instead?
This is a role they should have played a long time ago. Do you want me to sit and show you their mistakes and give them advice? I think they should know their role and their job in promoting this sport.
I don't need to tell them what they ought to do. If everyone minds their own business and does what they are supposed to do, then we can achieve something. I have done my job as a pro-shooter and now I am doing my job as well in giving back something to my country.
Is it happening the way you had envisioned it to be?
Maybe, kind of, but the full satisfaction will never come now. [However], this is definitely a good move because there is... some sort of activity going on and there is some clay shooting. This is the only way to gather all the young and promising shooters from the UAE.
I am very happy and excited about this move and I would like to [thank] Shaikh Hamdan for his support [shown] by [the] putting together [of] his Fazza Shooting Team. I hope we will continue improving in all spheres in the next few years.
What has the response been from these youngsters?
As far as I see it the door is open for everybody. Anyone who is a UAE passport holder can come and join us and try their skills.
The opportunities that we have here are not available anywhere else. You can search the world over, but the facilities that we have here are unparalleled.
They will never find a place like this where there are chances to practice seven days a week. For the locals it is time to just make an appearance and show their skills.
How exciting can the future be then?
Well, as far as I can see promising shooters [are] coming up. I can see the glory [on] their faces. Such are the moments of excitement. This is just a bit of the foundation that I am trying to lay in these young shooters.
Who are the shooters who have been showing promise?
At the moment, I can't [tell] you [of] anyone. There are some talented shooters, but they have to improve drastically as there is so much of a difference between shooting here in local competitions and shooting internationally and at the Olympics.
These shooters cannot be found within a month or even a few months. You need big work and you need hard work and big support too.
What sort of a time frame would you set to achieve this goal?
[We] need at least another four years.
When you speak of an international standard, can that mean getting better than the mark that you have set?
Well, that is the goal. And that is what I am working towards constantly. It can only show itself and it is up to these youngsters to show their skills each time they step out.
Would you step out of retirement in case there is a world-class shooter who comes along?
This is a big question and you have asked me this several times before. But this question ought to be put in the right perspective.
Do I have the ability and the skills to come back? Yes, I do. Why not? You should ask this question to somebody else, not me. But when it comes to motivation…then it is a big ‘No'. The motivation needs to be worked on all over again.
