Uae: UAE athletes continued their participation in the 20th Asian Games - Aichi-Nagoya 2026 in Japan across shooting, cycling, triathlon, swimming and football.
According to Emirates News Agency, the UAE Olympic football team drew 0-0 with North Korea in Group B to earn its first point of the tournament. The team will conclude its group-stage campaign against China on 23rd September.
In shooting events, UAE's Fatima Al Suwaidi scored 621.1 points in the women's air rifle event, while her teammates Yasmin Tehlak and Mona Al Hosani recorded 614.0 and 593.4 points, respectively.
Cycling saw Abdullah Jassim finishing seventh in the men's individual road time trial with a time of 44:01.48. In the women's category, Safiya Al Sayegh placed 12th in the 24.2-kilometre individual road time trial, finishing at 40:50.45.
Yusuf Al Henaei demonstrated endurance in the men's individual triathlon, completing the competition in 1:02:36 amidst a field of 35 athletes from 21 Asian countries.
In swimming, Hamad Al Shehhi clocked 52.84 seconds in the men's 100-metre freestyle. Meanwhile, Salem Ghaleb finished 23rd in the men's 200-metre individual medley in 2:12.61, and Mohammed Al Yamahi completed the same event in 2:18.44.
Huda Al Matroushi, President of the UAE Modern Pentathlon Federation, noted the UAE's first participation in the modern pentathlon at the Asian Games as a historic milestone. She highlighted that Abdullah Abdulrahman's participation marked the beginning of a new chapter for the sport in the country.
Mohammed Sayed, coach of the UAE modern pentathlon team, acknowledged Abdulrahman's progress, particularly in swimming and obstacle events, attributing it to valuable experience gained through international competitions.
Triathlon coach Mohsen Al Ali emphasized that preparations for Al Henaei are part of a long-term strategic project aimed at enhancing his competitiveness at high levels. Al Ali mentioned that Al Henaei is among the youngest competitors, with a development focus currently on cycling.
The Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games will run until 4th October, with over 11,000 athletes and approximately 6,000 coaches and officials from 45 countries. The UAE is represented by 165 athletes across 21 sports.
Tomorrow, UAE athletes Salem Mohammed Rashid Al Yamahi and Sultan Saleh Mohammed Hassan will compete in the men's air rifle event, while Abdullah Al Ameri, Hamad Al Shehhi, and Omar Al Hammadi will represent the UAE in swimming.