London: The UAE’s individual campaign at the 2012 London Olympic Games will officially get under way tomorrow, when Mubarak Salem Al Bashir competes in the 100m breaststroke heats at the Aquatics Centre.

The 24-year-old Al Wasl swimmer landed here earlier this week with his American coach Jay Benner and is feeling confident and realistic about his chances at such a high-profile event.

“My goal is to set a personal best in the 100m. To compete at an Olympic Games is a dream come true for me and I will give my best during competition,” Al Bashir told Gulf News.

Al Bashir is the only UAE swimmer to receive an invitation to participate in London and he will be in action at 11.53am BST (2.53pm UAE) tomorrow.

“For Mubarak, this is a growth process. He has shown a marked improvement for the past few months and I am confident that he will go out there and prove himself by achieving the targets we have set,” coach Benner said.

Other candidates

Next up for the UAE will be judoka Humaid Al Derei, who is scheduled to compete in the men’s 66kg at 9.30am BST (12.30pm UAE) on Sunday. The shooters also begin on Sunday, with Shaikh Saeed Bin Maktoum Al Maktoum competing in the skeet from 9am BST (12pm UAE).

Shaikh Juma Bin Dalmook Al Maktoum will compete in the double trap on August 3, the same day the UAE’s Khadija Mohammad participates in the women’s 75kg weightlifting.

The UAE’s third shooter is Daher Al Aryani in the trap discipline and he will be competing on August 5 and 6.

Yousuf Al Serkal, vice president of the UAE National Olympic Committee (UAE NOC), said: “We need to be realistic about these other sports that we are participating in. But shooting is different. We have a record and we have something to build on. We’ve already accomplished a gold medal and this time, the team is good.”

Meanwhile, the two UAE track and field athletes will be among the last from the national squad to depart for London.

Training preparations

Triple jumper Mohammad Abbas and 1,500m runner Betlhem Deslagn Belayneh have been continuing with their training at the Al Wasl Club track. Abbas returned from Europe last week, where he participated in international meets in Bulgaria and Greece, while Belayneh was in Addis Ababa until last Sunday. Both are scheduled to depart from Dubai on August 2.

Ahmad Al Kamali, IAAF executive board member and president of the UAE Athletics Association (UAEAA), met with the two athletes in the presence of Sa’ad Al Muhairi, general secretary of the UAE AA, prior to his departure to London last Wednesday.

Betlhem will run in the 1,500m heats on August 6 and if she qualifies, she will have to compete again on August 8, while triple jumper Abbas will attempt to qualify on August 8.

“I have a good feeling that Betlhem can go to the final as her confidence level is very high and she is enthusiastic about what she wants to do,” Al Kamali said in Dubai prior to his departure. “I wish she does make it to the final.”