The UAE's equestrian Omar Al Marzouqi has secured a spot in the final round of individual show jumping at the Paris Olympics, according to a statement from the UAE National Olympic Committee on X. Al Marzouqi, who won silver at the Asian Games in China last year, committed only one fault, completing his round in 79.56 seconds to qualify for the finals. The competition featured 75 riders, with the top 30 progressing to the final based on fault counts and times.
On August 1, the UAE placed 18th in the team show jumping event at the Paris Games. The team comprised Abdullah Al Marri, Omar Al Marzouqi, Ali Al Karbi, and Salem Al Suwaidi. Sultan Mohammed Al Yahyai, a Board Member of the Emirates Equestrian and Racing Federation and President of the Seventh Regional Group in the International Equestrian Federation, highlighted the significance of the UAE's participation in the Paris Olympics.
"This historic involvement marks a significant step in the UAE's equestrian and show jumping development, and the UAE team's presence at this Olympic event signifies a major shift following their impressive achievements at all levels," Al Yahyai stated. "The participation of world champions in the show jumping events serves as a powerful incentive for our riders, urging them to display their exceptional skills that have brought them to this prestigious stage."
The team's rigorous training in Europe and their involvement in numerous international championships are vital for boosting the riders' preparedness and elevating the status of UAE equestrianism. Al Marzouqi and cyclist Safiya Al Sayegh carried the UAE flag during the Paris opening ceremony on July 26. Al Sayegh, the first Emirati female cyclist to qualify for the Olympics, competed in the road race on Sunday.
The UAE sent a 14-member team to the Paris Games. Judoka Aram Grigorian nearly secured a bronze medal, losing to Tsilidis Theodoros of Greece on July 31. Despite his quarterfinal loss to Murao Sanshiro of Japan in the under-90 kg category, Grigorian won his first two matches against Swedish opponent Neiman Marcus and Uzbekistan’s champion Bobonov Davlat Balaybun. His victory over Neiman Marcus, a bronze medalist at the 2023 World Judo Championships in Doha, was particularly notable.
In swimming, Yousef Al Matrooshi (men's 100-metre freestyle) and Maha Al Shehhi (women's 200m freestyle) achieved their personal bests at the Paris Games.
