As the 2024 Summer Olympics officially kick off on Friday evening with a dazzling opening ceremony in Paris, UAE athletes are poised to secure medals for their country. The 14-member UAE team will compete in five sports: equestrian, judo, cycling, swimming, and athletics. Equestrian and judo are seen as the strongest contenders for medal wins. The National Olympic Committee revealed on Instagram that equestrian Omar Al Marzouqi, who won silver at the Asian Games, and cyclist Safiya Al Sayegh will carry the UAE flag during the opening ceremony.
For the first time, the opening ceremony will take place outside a stadium, with 94 boats transporting 10,500 athletes along a 6-km route on the Seine River, lasting 3 hours and 45 minutes. The team, rigorously trained for months, received support from Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Second Deputy Ruler of Dubai and Chairman of the National Olympic Committee, to excel in their performances. Sheikh Ahmed highlighted the UAE leadership's sports vision that motivates athletes to achieve international success.
Accompanying the UAE contingent in Paris are 24 administrators, technicians, and therapists. The equestrian team, participating in the show jumping, comprises Abdullah Al Marri, Omar Al Marzouqi, Ali Al Kirbi, and Salem Al Suwaidi. The judo team includes five men and one woman. Cyclist Safiya Al Sayegh, the first Emirati woman to qualify in cycling, will compete in the road race. Swimmers Yousuf Rashid Al Matrooshi and Maha Abdullah Al Shehi will participate in the 100m and 200m freestyle events, respectively, while Mariam Mohammed Al Farsi will compete in the 100m sprint.
The UAE's most memorable Olympic moment was in 2004 when Sheikh Ahmed bin Hasher Al Maktoum won gold in double trap shooting. In the 2016 Rio Olympics, Sergiu Toma, originally from Moldova, secured a bronze medal in judo.
