Tokyo Olympics 2020 Games: UAE Will Have 6 Athletes

On Tuesday, the National Olympic Committee (NOC) declared that in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, six athletes will represent the UAE. Since the Tokyo Games got delayed due to the pandemic, it is now scheduled for July 23 and the closing ceremony will now be on August 8.

Who Is Participating In The Tokyo Olympics This Year, And When?

The director of the technical and sports affair of the national Olympic committee announced that the UAE delegation consisting of 18 members will feature 6 sportspersons. 

Saif Bin Futtais will start the UAE campaign in Tokyo when he takes part in the skeet shooting competition on July 25. The bronze medalist at the 2014 World Judo Championships and the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta, Judoka Victor Scvortov, will be defending the UAE in the 73kg group on the 26^th of July. The Emirati swimmer Yousuf Al Matrooshi will then enter the Olympics for the first time by splashing his way through the 100m freestyle event.

On July 30^th Ivan Remarenco from the UAE team who was second in judoka and who won a bronze medal at the 2014 World Judo Championships, will take part in the over 100-kg event. And finally, on July 31^st, UAE footballer Hassan Al Noubi will participate in the track and field event and will also run the 100m event. On the same day, Fatima Al Hosani will take part in the discus throw.

Some Background On The Olympics And The UAE’s Place Within It:

The head of the UAE delegation is Ahmed Al Tayeb. Meantime, UAE’s international volleyball referee Ahmed Mohammed Al Russi Al Hammadi is invited to be a part of the volleyball match administration team at the Tokyo Olympics.

Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Chairman of the National Olympic Committee, is very optimistic about the team. He says that the athletes would perform up to their full potential in the Olympics. Since Victor Scvortov and Ivan Remarenco have both received medals at the highest-level judo, UAE anticipates a medal from them. 

UAE won their only medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics in the judo event when Sergiu Toma received a bronze medal in the men’s 81 kg event. When Sheikh Ahmad bin Mohammad bin Hasher Al Maktoum secured a gold medal at the double trap event in shooting, UAE saw its finest accomplishment, in the 2004 Athens Summer Olympic games.

What Does Debutant Yousuf Al Matrooshi Have To Say About The Olympics?

The eighteen-year-old swimmer Yousuf Al Matrooshi is exhilarated about his entrance into the world of the Olympics. In his recent interview, he said that he is very eager to represent UAE. He has been training remarkably and he hopes to represent UAE in the best way possible. He aims to take part in at least 3 Olympics and he intends to be the first person from the Emirates to participate in 3 Olympics consecutively.

However, he is not at all worried about the outcome of the event at the 2020 Tokyo games. Yousuf says the Olympics would provide him with a great learning experience and would prepare him for other international events like the Fina world swimming championship which will be hosted in Abu Dhabi in December.

He added that the joy of winning gold medals, breaking records, and being recognized is a great feeling for him. He has been training consistently with his coach and hopes to give it his best, regardless of the outcome. Yousuf says the Tokyo Olympics will be a significant experience for him and that it will help him improve his skills.