Sport | Other Sports
UAE braced for tough challenge
A seven-member team will represent the UAE in track and field events at the 15th Asian Games, starting in Doha from December 1.
- By Sayed Ali, Staff Reporter
- Published: 23:35 May 3, 2009
- Members of the UAE athletics team train at the Dubai Police Officers Club in preparation for the upcoming Asian Games in Doha.
- Image Credit: Megan HironsGulf News
Dubai: A seven-member team will represent the UAE in track and field events at the 15th Asian Games, starting in Doha from December 1.
They will be targeting medals in the 100 and 200 metres, 4 x 400 metre relay and triple jump.
"I hope our athletes at least reach the finals of the event which they will take part in. If they do so, it will be an achievement for them," Fat'h Allah Abdullah, the UAE athletics team manager, told Gulf News.
A pragmatic Fat'h Allah said that it would be very difficult to win medals with such strong countries taking part in the Games.
"China, for example, will participate in Doha with the same athletes who will run in the Olympic Games in 2008. It will be a good rehearsal for them," he said.
He said that it is close to impossible to win medals in Asia in these conditions.
"We must have the sufficient budget to prepare our athletes in an excellent way which can help them to win medals. I do not think that with this poor financial support, we can dream of doing any thing in Doha . Hence, chances are it will be the same old story of how we performed at the earlier Games."
The UAE manager said that the team began preparations for the Asiad last July with a 60-day training camp in Bulgaria.
"It was a successful training camp in the mountains of Bulgaria and the athletes have benefited from it." The seven athletes who will represent UAE did very well in the high altitude training camp. They are: Omar Juma (100 and 200 metres), Mohammad Abbas (triple jump), Saud Abdul Karim, Ali Mohammad Al Baloushy, Jasim Saeed, Hamad Gazwan, Abdullah Rashid (4x400 relay.)
Fat'h Allah said that the training camp which was scheduled to be held in Abu Dhabi last Saturday was cancelled and the athletes would now train daily at the Al Wasl Club. "We could not get a reservation in the Armed Forces hotel in Abu Dhabi. But the athletes will enter a closed-door training camp in Dubai from the 20th of this month till before leaving for Doha.
There are three coaches preparing them. We have Pedros from Romania for the triple jump, Fladimir from Bulgaria for the 4x400 relay and Vaskodonov for the 100 and 200 metre sprints."
Share this article
Popular in Sport
-
Football
Goal rush expected at Beach Soccer World Cup
A total of 970 scored in four editions
Sport Editor's choice
-
Inside the mind of Pacman
In the ring with Manny Pacquiao to see what makes this boxer tick
-
Al Ahli coach gears up for tourney
He believes team can rise to the challenge as they get off to a good start
-
Kiwis back in hunt for series win
McCullum, Guptil and Styris stole match way from Pakistan
