Rashid Al Daheri completes one-two for Al Ain
UAE cyclist says he is ready for London challenge later this summer
Dubai: Riders from the Al Ain Club for the Disabled dominated with Rashid Al Daheri leading a one-two finish in the wheelchair race at the Fifth Nad Al Sheba (NAS) Ramadan Sports Tournament.
This was a second triumph in three appearances for Al Daheri in this annual competition as the Zayed Higher Organisation’s Al Ain Club for the Disabled rider finished clear of teammate Hassan Murad Al Hazem, while Iran’s Abdullah Hashemi took a customary third place for a record fourth time in this race.
Defending champion Al Daheri, a member of the UAE National squad at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Paralympic Games, maintained his pace at the top of the pack from the start. With Hazem acting as cover, Al Daheri was threatened by the Iranian rider. “But the idea was to just keep going by improving on the pace,” Al Daheri said.
“I’ve got enough experience tackling this race and my focus was to build on this while preparing for London [World Para Athletics Championships from July 14-23]. I am pleased with the lessons I have learnt,” he added.
RESULTS
(Disabled Category) 1. Rashid Al Daheri (Al Ain Club for the Disabled/15 mins, 591 secs); 2. Hassan Murad Al Mazem (Al Ain Club for the Disabled/15.595); 3. Abdullah Abdul Hamid Hashemi (Iran/16.023).
