Senani looks to give her best shot at World Para Athletics Championships
Amir Naqvi
A seasoned journalist covering major sports events around the world. Amir is Sports Editor with Gulf Today.
- 05 Nov 2019
Excited over UAE hosting the biggest edition of the World Para Athletics Championships in the history of the games, the country’s top para athlete Sara Al Senani is aiming to give her best shot and double the joy for the hosts.
More than 1,500 athletes from 123 countries will take part in the 2019 World Para Athletics Championships to be held in Dubai from Nov.7-15. They will battle for top honours in 172 events.
Senani scripted history by becoming the first female Emirati to win a Paralympic medal after bagging bronze in the shot put F33 category at the Rio Games in 2016.
“It’s really a big moment and I am so excited to have a game of such pedigree in my home country,” said Senani.
Counting on the local support, Senani hopes to perform at the highest level on home turf.
“I had a good one-month training and I am looking forward to give my best at the championships. My main target is Tokyo 2020 where I want to win a gold this time,” she added.
“I’m happy that my country is proud of me and I feel really strong. This is only the beginning for me, and Tokyo 2020 is where I would like to finish on a high,” said Senani.
“I want to show that para athletes can do a lot of things. I feel that I’m like an inspiration for other girls.”
Besides Senani, Mohammed Al Hammadi and Noura Al Ketbi will lead the UAE’s challenge at the event.
Athlete Hammadi is a three-time Paralympic medallist, who took silver and bronze in the men’s 200m and 100m T34 respectively at the London 2016 Games before going on to clinch gold in the 800m T34 at Rio 2016.
At the competition, Hammadi will be UAE’s biggest para athletics star and will be looking for his first World Championship gold since winning the yellow metal last in 2011. He will take part in men’s T34 races.
Shot putter Ketbi also made her way into the history books by bagging a silver in the F32 category at the Brazil Games in 2016. The UAE team competing at the event include 18 players – nine male and nine female.
Meanwhile, six athletes including Abdellatif Baka (Algeria), Atsushi Yamamoto (Japan), Kare Adenegan (Great Britain), Ken Kahu (Vanuatu), and Shahrad Nasajpour (Refugee Para Team) spoke to the media during a press conference held at the Dubai Club for Determination.
Three-time Paralympic medallist and two-time world champion Yamamoto is excited to start his campaign at the championships.
“I prepared myself really well and I hope to get good results in this World Championship. There is so much media attention because we are hosting the Games in Tokyo next year. I feel proud because this is becoming a big movement in Japan,” said a confident Yamamoto.
Majid Al Usaimi, Chairman of the Organising Committee of the tournament, President of the Asian Paralympic Committee and Executive Director of the Dubai Club For People Of Determination said: “There will be many gains for Dubai in addition to sports, including economic and tourism. We are confident that tourism will have a share to this tournament thanks to the wonderful weather during the tourney and the stadium -- Dubai Club for People of Determination -- where the event will be held. It is the only stadium designed specifically for the people with special needs.”
Usaimi extended his sincere thanks to Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of the Executive Council and Chairman of the Dubai Sports Council, for his continuous support to the people of determination.
“We are proud that Dubai is hosting the biggest global event for people of determination, which means that we have reached a great stage of success and we are working to start to a greater success. This tournament will have a huge impact on the community.”
Teams from Australia, China, Japan and the US have landed with some of the biggest delegations. Another highlight in the championships will be the Russian team who will participate in the tournament for the first time since its suspension in 2016.
Russia with a contingent of 112, will be participating for the first time in three years following the lifting of the international ban due to the country’s anti-doping stance.