Abu Dhabi [UAE], April 4 (ANI/WAM): The UAE National Show Jumping Team will compete on Monday in the individual event at the Palace of Versailles as part of the 33rd edition of the Olympic Games hosted by the French capital, Paris, from July 26 to August 11, with the participation of 10,500 athletes.
The UAE is represented by 14 athletes competing in five different sports: equestrian, judo, athletics, cycling, and swimming.
The individual competition will see the participation of 75 riders, with the top 30 advancing to the final stage based on the number of faults and recorded times. The UAE's showjumping riders completed the training round in preparation for the competition, with each rider having 90 seconds to complete eight obstacles, and the horses successfully passed the veterinary inspection.
Sultan Mohammed Al Yahyai, Board Member of the Emirates Equestrian and Racing Federation, Head of the Show Jumping Committee, and President of the Seventh Regional Group in the International Equestrian Federation, said that the UAE riders' participation in the 33rd Summer Olympics in Paris represents a milestone in the UAE's equestrian and showjumping journey, with the unprecedented presence of a UAE team in this Olympic event marking a paradigm shift for the team after the remarkable successes achieved at all levels.
Al Yahyai underscored the Board of Directors' commitment, under the leadership of Major General Dr. Ahmed Nasser Al Raisi, to adopt numerous ambitious programs to enhance the capabilities of Emiratis and qualify them to raise the UAE flag in international events. This includes widening the base of participants in showjumping through training programmes and collaboration with clubs in all initiatives supporting the sport's development.
Regarding the preparation of female riders for international show jumping competitions, Al Yahyai said, "Emirati women receive top attention within the Federation's developmental programmes, providing opportunities to develop their capabilities in show jumping and other sports, driven by our strong belief in their high skills and ambitions that have led them to face many challenges in various equestrian sports. We hope to see generations of [female] champions in showjumping." (ANI/WAM)
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