Shaikh Ahmad Mohammad Hasher Al Maktoum made history when he became the first UAE athlete to win an Olympic medal yesterday.
Shaikh Ahmad captured the gold in the men's double trap shooting with an Olympic record-equalling effort. He scored 189 points to make up for the medal that eluded him in the single trap when he finished a close fourth on Sunday.
His Highness Shaikh Maktoum Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, was among the first to congratulate Shaikh Ahmad.
General Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and UAE Minister of Defence, also extended his congratulations to Shaikh Ahmad, saying the historic success is a source of pride for the UAE and Arab world.
Shaikh Ahmad dedicated his historic victory to President His Highness Shaikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, Shaikh Maktoum, and Their Highnesses Members of the Supreme Council and Rulers of the Emirates, for their constant support to the sport.
Shaikh Ahmad equalled the Olympic record set by Australian Mark Russell at the 1996 Atlanta Games. India's Rajyavardhan Rathore won the silver with 179, while Wang Zheng of China took bronze with 178.
Shaikh Ahmad's first reaction after winning the five-man final shootout was to kiss his gun and then hug Rathore.
"I had promised to give 100 per cent when I left the UAE. I have fulfilled my promise," Shaikh Ahmad told Gulf News minutes after the presentation ceremony at the Markopoulo Olympic Shooting Centre.
Shaikh Ahmad started the day with three rounds of identical 48s to top the six qualifiers with an Olympic record-breaking total of 144 points. In the final round, he kept his poise to hit 45 out of 50 targets.
"I knew I had the gold medal well before the final was finished because my coach had signalled to me from the stands," Shaikh Ahmad said.
