The UAE won its first medal at the 2010 Asian Games in Guangzhou when Shaikh Juma Bin Dalmook Al Maktoum won the silver in the men’s double trap at the Guangzhou Shootgun Centre yesterday.
“This is a great moment for me and my country,” Shaikh Juma told Gulf News before leaving for the airport to take the next flight back home.
He is scheduled to land at Dubai International Airport at 5am (UAE time) today.
“I dedicate this medal to President His Highness Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, and to all the Rulers of the UAE,” he said.
Support
“Without their support and backing and the presence of my shooting team members we would not have achieved this feat,” Shaikh Juma added.
At the end of qualifying held earlier yesterday, Shaikh Juma came into the final as the fourth best shooter with a total of 138 with rounds of 45, 46 and 47. Leading the qualifying list was Qatari veteran Hamad Al Marri with a total of 139 following his three visits that yielded scores of 47, 44 and 48.
China’s Mo Junjie was second and Kuwait’s Fahad Al Deehani was third at the end of the three qualifying rounds.
India’s Ronjon Sodhi, who ultimately went on to win gold, was placed fifth and China’s Pan Qiang was sixth to complete the final six shooters.
Shaikh Juma did not get off to the best of starts as he missed the first, fourth, seventh and tenth targets.
But he did admirably well in the middle, hitting seven targets on the trot to climb into second place even as his Indian opponent broke away and landed the gold with a score of 186.
