PARIS, July 24, (Agencies): The role of women in the Kuwaiti sports delegation is being prominently showcased at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, which start tomorrow, Friday, and run until August 11. This edition marks a historic moment with four female athletes participating out of a total of nine Kuwaiti competitors, representing the largest female contingent in Kuwait's Olympic history. Alongside Lara Dashti (swimming) and Amal Al-Roumi (athletics), rower Suad Al-Faqaan and sailing athlete Amina Shah are making their mark in marine sports, a first for Kuwaiti women in the Olympics.

Amina Shah, a member of the national sailing team, will compete in the ILCA 6 category at Paris 2024. She is the first Kuwaiti Gulf athlete to participate in Olympic sailing. Shah described this achievement as a “historic milestone,” expressing her pride and determination to perform at her best. She aims to make every effort to achieve her goals and represent Kuwait proudly on this global stage.

Wajdi Al-Dari, coach of the Kuwaiti national rowing team, shared that Suad Al-Faqaan's preparation began in January with a training camp in Hong Kong for the Asian qualifiers in South Korea. Following this, Al-Faqaan continued rigorous daily training. She also underwent a 21-day external training camp in Uzbekistan, focusing on physical conditioning and technical skill enhancement. The final stage of preparation included a ten-day training camp in Paris to refine technical skills and ensure mental readiness.

The rowing events at the Paris 2024 Olympics will commence on July 27 and conclude on August 3. Al-Dari noted that Al-Faqaan, who will be competing in the final rounds, has been meticulously preparing, including testing her boat in the Olympic Village. The coach emphasized the importance of these final days for mental and technical readiness to maintain focus during the competition. Al-Dari concluded that Al-Faqaan is aiming for a distinguished performance at the Paris 2024 Games, reflecting Kuwait’s commitment to advancing women’s sports, particularly in rowing.

The Kuwaiti team comprises Yaqoub Al-Youha and Amal Al-Roumi (athletics), Khaled Al-Mudhaf and Mohammad Al-Daihani (shooting), Yousef Al-Shamlan (fencing), Amina Shah (sailing), Souad Al-Faqaan (rowing), and Lara Dashti and Mohammad Zubaid (swimming).

Duaij Al-Otaibi, Chairman of the Kuwait Shooting Federation, praised the strong support from the political leadership for Kuwaiti shooting sports. He highlighted the international championships named after His Highness the Amir and His Highness the Crown Prince as symbols of this support. Despite facing challenges, Al-Otaibi is confident that Kuwaiti shooters will perform strongly. He recalled that shooting is the only sport in Kuwait to have won four Olympic medals, including a bronze by Abdullah Al-Rasheedi at the Tokyo 2020 Games. Al-Otaibi expressed hope for new achievements to add to Kuwait’s Olympic history.

Khaled Al-Foudari, Secretary-General of the Kuwait Sea Sports Club, expressed pride in the qualification of Al-Faqaan in rowing and Amina Shah in sailing. He noted that these accomplishments reflect the progress in Kuwaiti sea sports and the club’s collaborative efforts with national sports authorities to support Kuwaiti athletes.

Faisal Al-Dasem, Treasurer of the Kuwait Athletes Association, highlighted the qualifications of Yaqoub Al-Youha and Amal Al-Roumi in athletics, achieved through three training camps starting in May. Al-Roumi will compete in the 800-meter event on August 2, and Al-Youha in the 110-meter hurdles on August 4. Al-Dasem wished them the best of luck.

Abdulkareem Al-Shamlan, Chairman of the Kuwait Fencing Association, reported that Yousef Al-Shamlan has been training in Italy for the Olympics. Al-Shamlan advanced to the Games after a strong performance at the world fencing championship in Hungary, where he defeated a competitor from Hong Kong. Al-Shamlan is ranked 24th in the latest international fencing tournament and 28th globally, reflecting his dedicated effort over the past four years. Lastly, Kuwaiti swimming coach Ayman Al-Enezi noted that preparations for Dashti and Mohammad Zubaid are underway in Turkey. Zubaid will compete in the 100-meter freestyle, while Dashti will compete in the 100-meter breaststroke.