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UAE - The largest UAE contingent will embark to Indonesia, looking to return with a record medal haul at the Asian Games from August 18 to September 2.
The UAE National Olympic Committee (NOC) on Thursday announced their largest ever contingent of 217 members, including 138 athletes, who will compete in 23 individual and team events in the 18th edition to be held in the Indonesian capital of Jakarta and Palembang.
And the UAE look set to break their record of 10 medals won in the 2006 Games in Doha, Qatar. That remains their largest ever returns from the Games with the UAE winning three gold, four silver and three bronze medals.
"We are very optimistic about our participation and hope to win more medals than in 2006," Ahmed Al Tayeb, Director of Technical and Sports Affairs, NOC, said at a press conference at the UAE Olympic Committee headquarters in Dubai on Thursday.
And the optimism isn't misplaced with the UAE looking strong and set to land plenty of medals in Jiu-Jitsu, which is making its debut at the Games. Other medal prospects are judo, karate, athletics, cycling, equestrian, bowling, rowing, jet ski and football. "Today we stand at the threshold of an important sporting event across Asia highlighted by the participation of about 10,000 athletes from 45 countries competing in 462 sports disciplines. The vision of the NOC President is built on participation for competing and bringing medals, and the unlimited support of Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum is a key driver to achieve the best results," Brigadier Abdul Malik Jani, who is also Deputy Chef de Mission, said.
"With such a large contingent participating in the Asian Games, it will give them more experience for the future, especially some of the athletes who will be able to qualify for the Youth Olympics in Buenos Aires. We cannot promise anything but we will feel that we have a strong chance of getting medals in some of the disciplines like Jiu-Jitsu, jet ski, shooting, bowling, rowing, sailing and maybe even judo and karate. There are more than 45 countries and there are big events so, it will not be easy. But we do have a chance and I'm positive," Brigadier Jani added.
The UAE delegation will compete in football, basketball, shooting, equestrian, athletics, judo, Jiu-Jitsu, taekwondo, karate, wrestling, boxing, weightlifting, archery, fencing, cycling, golf, sail, kayaking, table tennis, rugby, jet ski, triathlon, and bowling.
The Games are split between Jakarta and Palembang, where the latter will host bowling, triathlon, kayaking and shooting games. The Indonesian capital will host the rest of the disciplines and Bandung will host the football competitions.
UAE AT THE ASIAN GAMES
First appearance: 1978, Bangkok, Thailand
First medal: 1994, Hiroshima, Japan
(The UAE won one silver and three bronze)
1998 Bangkok, Thailand: One bronze
2002, Busan, South Korea: Two silver, one bronze
2006, Doha, Qatar: Three gold, four silver, three bronze
2010, Guangzhou, China: Four silver, one bronze
2014, Incheon, South Korea: One gold, three bronze
Overall: Four gold, 11 silver, 12 bronze
Total: 27 medals
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