Al Attiyah adds Asian Games shooting gold to Dakar Rally win

Qatar sporting legend wins Asian Games skeet gold in same year he wins Dakar Rally

Last updated:
Jaydip Sengupta, Pages Editor
Qatar's Nasser Al Attiyah
Qatar's Nasser Al Attiyah
AFP

An Olympic bronze medal and three Asian Games gold medals in shooting alone would have counted as a legendary career for any sportsman. But Qatar's Nasser Al Attiyah is made of different mettle.

The 55-year-old, who was part of the Qatar men's skeet team that took gold ahead of Kuwait and India in Nagoya on Wednesday, also happens to be a six-time Dakar Rally champion.

Get updated faster and for FREE: Download the Gulf News app now - simply click here.

What makes his feat so remarkable this time is that he has achieved the unique double of winning an Asian Games shooting gold and becoming Dakar Rally champion in the same year!

His gold in Nagoya was his third Asian Games gold following triumphs in 2002 and 2010, and his sixth medal at the Games overall.

He also won skeet bronze at the 2012 London Olympics.

Al Attiyah had secured his latest Dakar Rally win earlier this year alongside Belgian co-driver Fabian Lurquin.

At the wheel of a Dacia, he only had to avoid a final day slip-up to top the podium after bringing his career tally of stage wins to 50 the previous day.

Jaydip Sengupta
Jaydip SenguptaPages Editor
Jaydip is a Pages Editor at Gulf News and has sports running in his veins. While specializing in Tennis and Formula 1, he also makes sure to stay on top of cricket, football, golf, athletics and anything related to sports in general. Known for his ability to dig out exclusive stories and land interviews with the biggest names in sports, Jaydip has built up a remarkable portfolio in almost 25 years of journalism, with one-on-one interviews of Michael Schumacher, Roger Federer, Usain Bolt and Tiger Woods, just to name a few. Besides sports, Jaydip also has a keen interest in films and geopolitics.

Get Updates on Topics You Choose

By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Up Next