UAE's Omar Al Marzooqi has high hopes for Paris after Asian Games medal joy

Omar Al Marzooqi is used to being the youngest rider around.

When he won the silver medal in individual showjumping at the Youth Olympics in 2018 as a 15-year-old, he was the youngest in the field in Buenos Aires – a fact that didn’t stop him from becoming the first Emirati to ever step on the podium at a Youth Olympic Games.

Last week in Hangzhou, Al Marzooqi, now 20, helped the UAE claim team bronze at the Asian Games, and helped himself to a silver medal in the individual competition, ahead of his compatriot Abdullah Al Marri, who settled for bronze.

Both Al Marzooqi and Al Marri were part of the Emirati showjumping team that secured a historic qualification for the Paris 2024 Olympics earlier this year. The UAE had previously sent riders to compete in individual showjumping at the Olympics, but Paris will mark the first time the nation will have a full team competing at the Games.

“The medal in Hangzhou wasn’t easy, it was a tough competition and the Paris Olympics will be, I think, generally tougher. But we’ll try our best,” Al Marzooqi told The National.

“It’s a new level for us, especially the Olympics is something we never saw.

“I’ll try to do my best to, if not get a medal, for sure everyone wishes for a medal, but I want to finish the Olympics with a great image of Omar Al Marzooqi, and the UAE riders as well, not only Omar.”

While equestrian sport is steeped in UAE tradition, showjumping is not necessarily a discipline that has garnered as much attention as racing or endurance. That has been changing over the past few years though.

“I think Sheikha Fatima bint Hazza Al Nahyan played a big role,” explains Al Marzooqi. “Ten years ago she started the programme of Al Shiraa stables with young riders, especially supporting local people. She gave a huge step for the showjumping sport, which made a lot of difference.

“And we can see it now, the result, the people, the way UAE riders compete and try to hopefully accomplish big achievements in the sport. That’s really nice to see a lot of people willing to support the sport now, the support is really growing, especially with new generations coming up.”

Al Marzooqi, who is pursuing a double bachelors degree in philosophy and psychology at Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi, believes his Youth Olympics medal gave him a boost early on his career but sees himself as a much more complete rider now, with far greater experience.

“I know how to cope with almost every situation and I have enough experience to cope with the pressure as well,” he added. “It was difficult at the Asian Games in China because we were five Emirati riders fighting for three medals, so two of us would be out of the medals. So it was tough.”

The showjumping team’s three-medal haul – two individual and one team – was part of a historic Asian Games for the UAE. A total of 20 medals (five gold, five silver, 10 bronze) were secured by Emiratis in Hangzhou, making it the most successful Asian Games in the history of the UAE.

The nation captured seven more medals in Hangzhou compared to their previous showing at Jakarta 2018 and improved their position from 20 to 16 in the overall medals table.

“This shows that the country has great support from the rulers for every sport,” said Al Marzooqi.

“I’ll talk about equestrian – equestrian is the sport of Arabs I’d say. Back in the day, the Arabs built this sport, so we need to fight for it and we need to try our best to always keep a great image of the Arabs.”

These Asian Games proved to be a significant milestone for women’s sport in the Emirates, with six of the 20 medals clinched by women.

Shamma Al Kalbani and Asma Al Hosani scooped gold in jiu-jitsu, silver medals came via Bishrelt Khorloodoi in judo and Balqees Abdulla in jiu-jitsu, while Hawraa Al Ajmi and Shamsa Al Ameri claimed bronze in karate and jiu-jitsu respectively.

Cyclist Safiya Al Sayegh was the flagbearer for the UAE in the closing ceremony, while shooter Ghaya Al Shuhail was co-flagbearer alongside cyclist Ahmed Al Mansoori in the opening ceremony.

Al Mansoori’s bronze in the omnium marked the first time an Arab has secured a medal in track cycling at an Asian Games.

While sports like jiu-jitsu and karate are not part of the Olympic programme, Hangzhou still provided a major boost for the UAE ahead of Paris 2024, where the nation’s judokas and showjumpers have a great chance of making the podium.

“For me as a 20-year-old, going to the Olympics, insha’Allah it won’t be the only time, hopefully I can qualify several other times,” said Al Marzooqi.