Shooter Ayesha Al Muhairi becomes first Emirati to qualify for Tokyo Paralympic Games
- 19 Jun 2021
Ayesha Al Muhairi, a member of the Dubai Shooting Club, made history by becoming the first Emirati athlete from "People of Determination" to qualify for the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games.
Al Muhairi set a new record of 828,6 during her participation at the World Cup Shooting Championships in Lima, Peru.
Al Muhairi, who scored with distinction 71 days before the Games in Tokyo, emphasised that women’s sports in the UAE is on the right track and has taken steady steps to achieve aspired ambitions.
She dedicated the victory to the leadership and people of the UAE as well to every Emirati woman. She thanked the Dubai Shooting Club for creating a favourable environment for her success, adding that her participation at the Games is a source of pride for her, given her shooting career of only 18 months.
Saeed Hareb, Secretary-General of the Dubai Sports Council, congratulated the country’s sports sector, especially the people of determination, for Al Muhairi qualifying for the Games, and join an elite group of people of determination to represent the country.
"Al Muhairi's achievement underscores the leadership’s special support and care for people of determination," he said.
Thani Juma Berregad, Chairman of the Dubai Club for People of Determination, said Al Muhairi had defied the odds and qualified for the Games.
"She achieved more than expected in a short time as the first Emirati shooter to compete in the Games," he added.
The major international multi-sport event for athletes with disabilities, which is governed by the International Paralympic Committee, will be held in Tokyo, Japan, between 24th August and 5th September 2021.
The games were formerly scheduled to take place between 25th August and 6th September 2020, but on 24th March 2020, the IOC and the Tokyo Organising Committee officially announced that the 2020 Summer Olympics and 2020 Summer Paralympics will be postponed to 2021, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, marking the first time that the Paralympics has been postponed.
WAM