UAE’s Saadi sets historic B-standard time

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  • Record-breaker: Yaaqoub Al Saadi has made huge strides for swimming in the UAE.

    Yaaqoub Al Saadi yesterday made history for the UAE after becoming the first Emirati swimmer to achieve a B-standard qualifying time for a major swimming event.

    On Day 3 of the Dubai International Aquatic Championships, Al Saadi, 17, clocked 27.71 seconds in the morning heats for the 50m backstroke to achieve the B-standard qualifying time – which is 28.14 seconds – for this summer’s Youth Olympics in Nanjing, China.

    Al Saadi later swam 27.88 seconds in the evening finals to place fourth and just miss out on the podium by finishing 0.16 seconds slower than Emirati bronze medallist Mohammed Al Ghaferi.

    “It’s magnificent. What he did is like a miracle, it’s something very big,” said UAE national team assistant coach Mohamed El Zanaty.

    “He swam so well in the morning that he’s way faster than the B-cut.”

    Al Saadi was one second slower than the B-cut in the 200m backstroke on Day 2, but he’s looking to qualify in a second event – the 100m today.

    While achieving a B-standard time does not guarantee a spot in Nanjing, since priority is given to those swimming faster than the A-standard, El Zanaty says in Al Saadi’s case, the young teenager has virtually qualified.

    He said: “In case of the Emirates, a B-cut qualifying time means that 90 per cent he has qualified to Nanjing.”

    And Al Saadi said: “There are still competitions coming up where I can try to achieve the A-standard time. I know I can do better, I know I have it in me.”

    Meanwhile, Al Ghaferi was disappointed to finish in third place after he had qualified fastest in the morning heats. He clocked 27.40 seconds in the morning and 27.72 in the final.

    Elsewhere, 14-year-old Yousef Al Hossani broke the UAE national record in the 200m medley, while Olympian Mubarak Al Besher broke his own GCC record in the 50m breaststroke for a third time, becoming the first ever Emirati to go under 29 seconds in the event.

    Al Besher swam 28.79 seconds and is now a mere 0.24 seconds off the B-standard qualifying time for next year’s World Championships in Kazan, while in the 100m, he took bronze, clocking 1:04.90. 

    “I swam a PB in the 50m and I’m really happy about that. But I really wanted to achieve the B-cut here to get qualification out of the way early on. I still have a whole year to get that B-cut,” said Al Besher.

    Former European champion Evelyn Verraszto won two gold, in the 200m medley and 50m backstroke.

    “I really like to be in Dubai, this is one of the best pools in the world and it’s so amazing to compete in it,” said Verraszto. “If a lot of fast swimmers come here, it’s good for the country.”

    In today’s action, UAE junior swimmer Ali Al Kaabi will attempt to book a ticket to Nanjing in the 50m butterfly.

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