Reigning Paralympic champion Abdullah Sultan Al Aryani will be leading the UAE squad at the Rio Games this month, hoping to add more medals to his tally.
Al Aryani won gold in the mixed R6-50m Rifle Prone-SH1 competition in London four years ago, which was just the second time in history an Emirati had topped the Paralympic Games podium.
The 46-year-old shooter is having an excellent season this year, having won two gold medals and one silver at the season opening IPC Shooting World Cup in Al Ain, followed by another gold and two silvers at the World Cup in Bangkok, Thailand in March.
He will be competing in four disciplines in Rio over the upcoming fortnight and is aware he will have some added pressure as one of the main shooters to watch.
“My expectation is to be one of the strongest competitors in all four events R1 (men’s 10m air rifle standing SH1), R3 (mixed 10m air rifle prone SH1), R6 (mixed 50m rifle prone SH1), and R7 (men’s 50m rifle three positions SH1). I believe competition will be tough, but my goal is the gold,” Al Aryani told www.paralympic.org.
“My third participation (at the Paralympics) is different this time because I am the current champion and gold medallist from London.
“The challenge is now bigger as I have to achieve more and continue on as the champion.”
Al Aryani competed in the Sydney 2000 Olympics before a car accident a year later paralysed him from the waist down, confining him to a wheelchair.
He is currently R1 finals world record holder as well as the R7 qualification world record holder.
A total of 18 UAE Paralympians will be competing in Rio in shooting, athletics and powerlifting.
Emiratis have scooped 12 Paralympic medals (two gold, six silver, four bronze) since the nation made its debut in Sydney 2000.
Powerlifter Mohammed Khamis Khalaf has won the UAE’s only other Paralympic gold medal.
