Sheikh Saeed bin Maktoum Al Maktoum expressed his disappointment after failing to make the final of the Olympic skeet shooting competition and hopes Sheikh Juma bin Dalmook Al Maktoum can have better luck in double trap qualification.
The UAE flagbearer, who was participating in his fourth Olympics, tried to recover from a bad start to the two-day qualification round on Monday, but was unable to place amongst the top-six to move on to the final.
“I tried hard and I was very well prepared and I came here to compete for the title,” said the 35-year-old shooter. “I had a shotgun and ammunition of the highest quality, but my first round where I scored 21 was really a thorn in my side.
“I committed some minor mistakes in that round and rushed myself in a few moments but this is God’s will in the end,” Sheikh Saeed added, also explaining that there was no problem with visibility whatsoever and the conditions were not tough but that a few moments of extra enthusiasm saw him pay the price.
But it wasn’t all troubles for the Arab nations as Qatar’s Nasser Al Attiyah clinched bronze with an excellent display of shooting. “I’d like to congratulate Nasser on his third-place finish and I wish Sheikh Juma the best of luck in his double trap competition,” said Sheikh Saeed.
Meanwhile, Sheikh Juma flies the UAE flag in the double trap qualification rounds on Thursday hoping to emulate his mentor Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Hasher, who won the Emirates’ only Olympic medal; double trap gold at Athens 2004.
Sheikh Juma, who booked his spot in London by winning the gold medal in the Asian Shooting Championships in Doha earlier this year, will go through three rounds of 50 targets each before the top six shooters qualify to the final.
A total of 24 shooters will compete in qualification, with Sheikh Juma drawn in Squad 2 alongside Qatar’s Rashid Al Athba.
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