UAE Skeet Shooters Shine on Opening Day as Fencing Joins Aichi–Nagoya 2026 Action
Mohammed Ahmed Hits Perfect 50 as Bin Futtais Sits Fourth
UAE Skeet Shooters Shine on Opening Day as Fencing Joins Aichi–Nagoya 2026 Action
UAE shooters Mohammed Ahmed and Saif bin Futtais produced strong performances on the opening day of the men’s individual skeet competition at the Asian Games Aichi–Nagoya 2026, being held in Japan until 4 October.
The Games feature more than 11,000 athletes, alongside around 6,000 coaches and officials representing 45 countries, across 16 days of competition in 43 sports and 71 disciplines, comprising 469 events. The UAE is represented by a delegation of 165 athletes — 117 men and 48 women — competing in 21 sports.
Mohammed Ahmed hit all 50 of his opening targets to top the standings, while Saif bin Futtais ended the day in fourth place with 49. The UAE pair will return tomorrow for the remaining qualification rounds, with the final standings to be determined after 125 targets. The top eight shooters will advance to the final, scheduled for Wednesday.
In swimming, UAE national team swimmer Abdullah Al Ameri clocked 28.72 seconds in the men’s 50m backstroke, while Hamad Al Shehhi recorded 24.06 seconds in the men’s 50m freestyle. Omar Al Hammadi posted 1:08.78 in the men’s 100m breaststroke.
In the men’s 10m air rifle competition, which featured 47 shooters, Salem Mohammed Rashid Al Yamahi scored 611.8 points, while Sultan Saleh Mohammed Hassan recorded 595.2 points.
Jani: Long-Term Plan to Develop UAE Triathlon
For his part, His Excellency Abdul Malik Jani, President of the UAE Triathlon Federation, said the national team’s participation in the Asian Games Aichi–Nagoya 2026 forms part of a long-term technical and strategic vision aimed at developing a generation of athletes capable of competing at continental and international level.
Jani thanked the President, members and Secretary General of the UAE Olympic Committee for their support of the federation and national team. He also praised the efforts of the team in Japan and the support and facilities provided to the UAE delegation.
He explained that the federation selected Yusuf Al Henaei to compete at the Games as one of the athletes it is looking to develop for the future, as part of a long-term programme based on a clear technical plan and progressive stages designed to raise his performance.
Jani said the first phase of the programme focused primarily on improving Al Henaei’s swimming. Over the past six months, the technical team has worked to improve his times and overall performance, and in his current appearance he emerged from the swim leg with the leading group, reflecting the progress he has made technically.
He added that the next phase will focus on developing Al Henaei’s cycling and running through increased training loads and specialised technical programmes. He noted that the athlete is still young and is competing against rivals with greater experience, making his current participation an important opportunity to gain valuable competitive experience.
The UAE Triathlon Federation President expressed satisfaction with Al Henaei’s performance, stressing that the objective at this stage is not an immediate result, but rather the comprehensive development of an athlete through a long-term project extending over several years.
Jani said the federation is also working to broaden participation in triathlon, duathlon and aquathlon and increase the number of male and female athletes, noting that the recent growth in participation represents a positive indicator of the sport’s development.
He added that this progress is also reflected in international participation, with the UAE competing at the World Triathlon Age-Group Championships in Pontevedra, Spain, with a delegation of 110 athletes, compared with 58 who took part in the previous edition in Australia.
Jani stressed that the federation’s plans are aimed at building a sustainable programme for the development of triathlon and supporting national talent over the long term, while praising the Ministry of Sports for its support of talent development and athlete preparation programmes.
He also highlighted a number of emerging talents, including Charlotte, who was selected by World Triathlon among a group of leading Asian athletes, following the results she achieved recently, to compete at the Youth Olympic Games in Senegal representing the UAE.
Jani concluded by reaffirming the federation’s commitment to broadening participation in the sport and developing emerging talent in a way that strengthens the UAE’s presence in triathlon regionally and internationally.
Tuesday’s Events
UAE swimmer Abdullah Al Ameri will compete in the men’s 400m individual medley tomorrow, Tuesday, while Safiya Al Sayegh and Zahra Hussein will line up in the women’s road race final, which features 43 riders over a 91.3km course.
In shooting, Salem Mohammed Rashid Al Yamahi and Fatima Al Suwaidi Hassan will compete in the 10m air rifle mixed team event.
Fencing Opens Asian Games Campaign
The UAE fencing team will begin its Asian Games Aichi–Nagoya 2026 campaign tomorrow, with Faris Al Blooshi and Hamad Al Jallaf contesting the men’s individual foil, while Zainab Al Hosani will compete in the women’s individual épée.
China remained top of the Asian Games Aichi–Nagoya 2026 medal table with 38 medals, comprising 23 gold, 10 silver and five bronze. Japan followed with 32 medals — eight gold, 12 silver and 12 bronze — while South Korea ranked third with 23 medals, including five gold, three silver and 15 bronze.
Kuwait led the Arab standings and ranked 11th overall with one gold and two bronze medals. Iraq followed in second among Arab nations with one silver and two bronze, while Jordan and Lebanon shared third place with one silver and one bronze each. Qatar ranked fifth with one silver, while Saudi Arabia was sixth with two bronze medals.
