UAE grabs more golds, among top six in medals tally at Special Olympics

Abu Dhabi - UAE now has 47 gold, 43 silver and 54 bronze medals.

The UAE consolidated its position among the top 10 countries and sit sixth in the medal standings of the Special Olympics World Games 2019. At 8pm, the UAE got 47 gold, 43 silver and 54 bronze medals, after ending Monday with 41 gold, 38 silver and 48 bronze medals.
Swimmers did the country proud with two gold medals. Faris Issa Al Shamsi and Khaled Al Barguthi won in separate categories of 25m backstroke. The UAE also took one gold medal in basketball. Khalid Al Shehhi and Faisal Abbas bagged the gold for table tennis (doubles).
There were two medals from athletics, with Khalifa Alamiri clinching gold and Khalid Al Hajeri silver, both in the long jump. The 33-year-old Alamiri won with a jump of 5.06m with Burkina Faso's Marcel Diessongo having to settle for silver with a jump of 4.82m.
In another category final, Al Hajeri took the silver behind gold winner Said Razzouq of Morocco, with a jump of 3.85m. Razzouq came up with a jump of 3.94m. Poland's Wojciech Simlat took the bronze.
Abdelhakim Hirech, part of the UAE coaching staff, expressed pride at Alamiri and Al Hajeri's showing and promised more on Wednesday.
"We are very proud that we won a gold and silver," Hirech told Khaleej Times. "We are very optimistic about Wednesday. We hope to win a few gold and silver medals because we have a strong representation in the events. Our athletes are very well prepared."
Al Hajeri had earlier won the gold in shot put on Sunday. Alamiri and Al Hajeri will both take part in the 4x100m relay on Wednesday.
reporters@khaleejtimes.com
 

• Abu Dhabi