United Arab Emirates (UAE) at the Olympics
The United Arab Emirates made its debut in the Summer Olympics in Los Angeles in 1984 and appeared in the much-revered sporting event since then.
UAE won its first-ever medal, that is, a gold medal at the 2004 Athens Summer Olympic Games courtesy of Ahmed Al Maktoum who finished in the top spot in the men’s double trap event in shooting. Twelve years later, UAE took its second medal in 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games when its judoka SergiuToma seized the bronze in the men’s half-heavyweight division 81 kg.
During the 2016 Olympiad UAE paraded 13 athletes (9 men and 4 women) which is half of what it sent in the previous Games. In the 2012 edition of the Games, the nation had largest share of women competitors in its Olympics history. The nation’s campaign in Rio was bolstered with five naturalized athletes (three Moldovan judokas and a couple of Ethiopian-born runners.
Trivia
- The Emirates’ only Olympic medal is a double trap gold medal won at Athens 2004 by Sheikh Ahmad bin Mohammad bin Hasher Al Maktoum of Dubai.
Related Pages
- A similarly named team, United Arab Republic, made up of Egypt and Syria, competed at the 1960 Olympic Games.
- See the list of all countries that have participated at the Olympic Games.
- About sport in UAE
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