Sheikh Ahmed Mohammad Hasher Al Maktoum, the UAE’s only Olympic gold medallist, will retire after the Beijing Games.
But his hopes of winning another gold in the Trap event in Beijing suffered a blow on Saturday after the first qualification session.
Sheikh Ahmed could do no better than 19th place out of 35 competitors after the first three shooting rounds. He currently trails Czech sharp shooter David Kostelecky by four points going into the second qualification session on Sunday.
The final of the Trap event is later on Sunday. While Sheikh Ahmed won’t be happy with his performance, his main hope of following his victory in the Athens Olympics comes in the double trap shooting event which starts on Tuesday.
The 45-year old is also the winner of the World Cup 2003 in Italy, World Elite Championship 2003 in Italy and World Cup winner in Cairo 2004.
He told UAE daily Gulf News on Friday: “This Olympic Games is the last time that I will represent my country. This is a life decision and nothing will stop me from taking this decision. I am not coming back.”
The UAE shooter equalled the Olympic record in the double trap on his way to the country’s first-ever gold medal four years ago.
In Beijing, he will be shooting in the trap and double trap competitions.
Although Sheikh Ahmed stopped shooting briefly after the Athens triumph and he did not shoot at the 2006 Asian Games in Doha, this time he says his retirement from the sport will be permanent.
The other UAE Olympic competitors are listed below:
Sheikh Saeed bin Maktoum Al-Maktoum – skeet shooting:This year will be Sheikh Saeed bin Rashid Al- Maktoum’s third Olympic Games having attended Sydney 2000 and Athens 2004. 32-year-old Sheikh Saeed started competing in the men’s skeet in 1999 and won gold at the Asian Shooting Championships in 2003 and silver at the Doha Asian Games in 2006. He is also patron of the UAE’s National Skeet Shooting Team.
Sheikha Maitha Mohd Rashed Al Maktoum – taekwondo:Karate and taekwondo athlete Sheikha Maitha bint Mohammed bin Rashid is also no stranger to winning, she won a silver medal at the Women’s Over 60kg karate event at the 2006 Asian Games and is the captain of the UAE national ladies team in martial sports. This year she will compete for victory in the 67kg taekwondo category.
Sheikha Latifa bint Ahmad bin Juma Al – show jumping:Sheikha Latifa bint Ahmad bin Juma Al Maktoum qualified for her first Olympic games in the individual show jumping event at the Seven Qatar International Show Jumping Championship in March 2007. The young royal clocked 47.72 seconds in the jump-off to book her ticket to Beijing. Shiekha Latifa has since based herself in France and competing in Belgium, Rotterdam and Italy. Catch Sheikha Latifa at the equestrian competitions which will run from August 9-21.
Obaid Ahmed Aljesmi – swimming:Swimmer Obaid Ahmed Aljesmi will compete in the 100m freestyle swimming event. He was the gold medal winner of the 50m backstroke at the GCC Championships, Kuwait in 2006 and gold medal winner of the 100m medley at the GCC Championships, Kuwait 2007.
Omar Juma Bilal Alsalfa – 200m:The UAE’s short distance champion has spent the last two weeks training in Poland with his Bulgarian trainer, Vasko. The 19-year-old athlete, who is competing in 200m category, is determined to make it as far as the quarter finals to present his best of 20.94 seconds. Alsafa is no stranger to gold, last month he won the gold medal in the Asian Athletics Junior Championship in Jakarta. Alsafa’s impressive time of 21.04secs in the 200m for the gold also qualified him for the Olympics.
Saeed Rashid Omar Alqubaisi – judo:At just 18 years old, Emirati Saeed Rashid Alqubaisi is the UAE’s youngest Olympic contender and the UAE’s first judoka to compete at the Olympics.A professional since he was 11, Alqubaisi will compete in the 73kg Judo category for men.
Adel Khalid Abdulghafar – sailing:UAE-born Abdulghafar only started sailing in 2001 but plans to come home with an Olympic gold medal at this year’s games as he competes in the Dinghy Event – laser class. The sailing enthusiast has been training full time since 2007 at the Emirates Sailing School in Abu Dhabi and has been on a strict diet of salad, vegetables and fruit. In 2003 Abdulghafar won the European Laser Championships and in 2007 won the Laser Class in the Arab Games.
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