Dubai: Adil Khalid, former Volvo Ocean Racing (VOR) champion and easily the best Emirati sailor, has an built an ambitious programme with his coach Trevor Millar with an eye on a sailing medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games.
Khalid, who last participated at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and the 2010 Guangzhou Asian Games, has laid out a customised programme in co-operation with Millar’s Sail-Coach spanning a four-year period and leading up to the Tokyo Games.
“While traditional classes of sailing have a lot of support in the UAE, there aren’t many people in the UAE who believe in modern sailing. But I believe that sailing is one sporting discipline that can fetch the UAE an Olympic medal in the future,” Khalid told Gulf News.
“As a sailor who has competed at the highest levels, I am aware of the commitment required from me to be an Olympic champion, and that is the reason why I have spent so much time and effort in assembling a programme to chase my dream for my country,” he added.
Born in Dubai on October 8, 1988, Adil Khalid started off in Dinghies and Lasers as part of the youth sailing pogramme of the Dubai International Marine Club (DIMC). He gradually made his way through to the Olympic Standard Class, after which he was accepted as the trimmer and helmsman into the Abu Dhabi Volvo Ocean Racing Team led by Great Britain’s Olympic champion Ian Walker.
In 2015, the Walker led-Azzam was the first to cross the line in Gothenburg, Sweden to hand the Abu Dhabi outfit their first and only triumph in two attempts. “I’ve been through it all. By far, Volvo Ocean Racing is considered among the toughest forms of sailing. It has been a little more than two years since we won in Gothenburg and it is the call of the water that keeps me motivated,” Khalid said.
“I am ready from my point of view with a programme, but now comes the more important aspect of getting a sponsor and support as I chase a dream. I wish we can have the support so that the UAE can be among the genuine contenders for a medal at the next Olympic Games,” the 29-year-old said.
Khalid will stay in touch with dedicated Sail-Coach coaching staff and fellow athletes on a daily basis, but he will have the freedom to switch off from sailing in order to help keep his mind fresh for his full Olympic campaign. There will be sessions in the gym for strength, conditioning and fitness of the athlete alongside the sailing regime.
Millar has set Khalid realistic goals during the next four years. “He should be targeting to be the best sailor in Asia, with regular results in the top-15 at Asian continental regattas,” Millar said.
“Eventually, he will have to scale down and target a top 3 position at the Arab level. The key would be that Adil starts on the training programme as soon as possible or a comeback with the 2018 Asian Games could be tough. It is possible depending on how much he is willing to put in, and with the experience he has, I think all this is possible,” the coach added.
