NAGOYA, twentieth September, 2026 (WAM) — UAE athletes continued their participation within the twentieth Asian Games Aichi-Nagoya 2026 in Japan on Sunday, competing in capturing, biking, triathlon, swimming and soccer.
In soccer, the UAE Olympic group drew 0-0 with DPR Korea in Group B to earn its first level of the event. The group will conclude its group-stage marketing campaign towards China on twenty third September.
In capturing, Fatima Al Suwaidi scored 621.1 factors within the girls’s 10-metre air rifle occasion, whereas Yasmin Tahlak recorded 614.0 factors and Mona Al Hosani 593.4.
In biking, Abdullah Jassim completed seventh within the males’s particular person time trial in 44 minutes and 1.48 seconds.
Safia Al Sayegh positioned twelfth within the girls’s 24.2-kilometre particular person time trial, clocking 40 minutes and 50.45 seconds.
In triathlon, Yousif Al Henai accomplished the boys’s particular person race in 1 hour, 2 minutes and 36 seconds in a discipline of 35 athletes representing 21 Asian international locations.
Three UAE swimmers have been additionally in motion. Hamad Al Shehhi clocked 52.84 seconds within the males’s 100-metre freestyle, whereas Salem Ghaleb completed twenty third within the 200-metre particular person medley in 2 minutes and 12.61 seconds. Mohammed Al Yamahi recorded 2 minutes and 18.44 seconds in the identical occasion.
Dr Huda Al Matroushi, President of the UAE Modern Pentathlon Federation and Vice President of the Asian Modern Pentathlon Confederation, mentioned the UAE’s first participation in trendy pentathlon on the Asian Games represented a historic milestone and the start of a brand new section for the game within the nation.
She mentioned Abdullah Abdulrahman’s participation was the results of years of labor to develop the game and broaden its participation base, including that his Asian Games debut might encourage a brand new era of athletes.
Al Matroushi mentioned the federation had targeted on increasing participation, supporting golf equipment and academies, growing technical and refereeing cadres, organising native competitions and growing worldwide participation.
Dr Mohammed Sayed, coach of the UAE trendy pentathlon group, mentioned Abdulrahman had made notable progress, notably in swimming and impediment racing, whereas gaining useful expertise from continental and worldwide competitions.
He mentioned competing at Aichi-Nagoya carried particular significance as Abdulrahman turned the primary Emirati athlete to participate in trendy pentathlon on the Asian Games.
Mohsen Al Ali, coach of the UAE triathlon group, mentioned preparations for Al Henai type a part of a long-term strategic programme aimed toward growing an athlete able to competing on the highest ranges.
He mentioned the 22-year-old is among the many youthful rivals and that gradual improvement stays central to his preparation.
The first section of the programme targeted on bettering Al Henai’s swimming, throughout which he achieved a brand new UAE mark of 10 minutes and 10 seconds, whereas the present section focuses on biking in cooperation with Japanese athlete Genta Uchida.
The twentieth Asian Games run till 4th October, bringing collectively greater than 11,000 athletes and round 6,000 coaches and officers from 45 international locations. The Games function 43 sports activities and 71 disciplines, with 1,407 medals to be awarded throughout 469 occasions.
The UAE is taking part with 165 athletes throughout 21 sports activities.
On Monday, Salem Mohammed Rashid Al Yamahi and Sultan Saleh Mohammed Hassan will compete within the males’s 10-metre air rifle occasion, which options 47 shooters, together with China’s Sheng Lihao, holder of the qualification world file of 637.9 factors and the Asian and Asian Games qualification file of 634.5.
The UAE swimming group may also compete in three occasions, with Abdullah Al Ameri contesting the 100-metre backstroke, Hamad Al Shehhi the 50-metre freestyle, and Omar Al Hammadi the 100-metre breaststroke.