Obaid Al Jasmi looking forward to Guangzhou

Dubai: The experienced Obaid Al Jasmi will mount the UAE's challenge at this month's 16th Asian Games in Guangzhou, China.

Al Jasmi, who has participated at the past two Olympic Games in Athens and Beijing, was a member of the UAE squad at the last Asian Games in Doha, Qatar.

He was in the new Shaikh Hamdan Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Sports Complex last weekend participating in the President's Swimming Championships that was being held as a test event for the 10th Fina World Swimming Championships (25 metres) to take place from December 15 to 19.

"For us, this competition could not have come at a better time as we lend the finishing touches for our Asian Games preparations," Al Jasmi told Gulf News.

"We have managed to get a limited exposure to competitions these past couple of months, and this in fact has hampered our chances at the Asian Games," he rued.

In China, Al Jasmi will be joined by Mubarak Salem in the 50, 100 and 200 metres breaststroke and Mohammad Abdullah in the 50 and 100 metres backstroke and 50 metres butterfly. Al Jasmi will participate in the 100 metres butterfly, 200 metres individual medley and 50 metres backstroke.

The swimming competition at the Asian Games is scheduled to start on November 13 and will conclude on November 18, during which time a total of 38 medals will be decided.

"We need to be optimistic going into a competition like an Asian Games. To start with, we have not had the best of preparations. We had an American coach who left us after just two months and then we got the old coach [Jay Benner] re-appointed to train us," Al Jasmi said.

Marked improvement

"But ever since he [Benner] has come back, all of us have shown a marked improvement in our events and we can only hope for the best in China," the swimmer added.

On the opening day of the President's Swimming Championships on Friday, Al Jasmi went on to set a new national record in the 400 metres freestyle with a time of 4 minutes, 12 seconds. The old record stood at 4:23 minutes.

"I am participating in the 200 metres freestyle and the 400 metres medley today where I also hope to set new UAE times," he added.

He further felt that this test competition could not have come at a more opportune time for UAE swimmers. "It is simply perfect. We have a complex that we can be proud of. This facility is definitely going to benefit our sport, and along with it will come a lot of recognition for the UAE," Al Jasmi added.