By Rizwan Rehmat
DOHA: Veteran shooter Nasser Saleh Al Attiyah and high jump medal hope Mutaz Barshim will lead Qatar’s medal charge at the Rio Olympic Games that kick off in the Brazilian capital this Friday.
Al Attiyah, a two-time Dakar Rally champion, and Barshim won bronze medals at the 2012 Olympics to complete Qatar’s best ever show at the Summer Games.
Forty-five year old Al Attiyah is competing in his sixth successive Olympic Games while Barshim, 25, made his debut in London four years ago.
The two athletes will be joined by Qatar’s impressive equestrian squad and the handball team in Rio de Janeiro. Qatar’s contingent of 38 athletes also includes Asia’s fastest sprinter Femi Ogunode and table tennis legend Lei Ping.
Young swimmer Nada Akarji will aim to better her performance in London while weightlifter Fares Ibrahim is keen to make it count at his debut Games show in Rio.
“My goal is to win a medal and I hope it is a gold. I am going to give it all I have. I will focus and work hard and perform with dedication,” Al Attiyah said. Al Attiyah, a giant in off-road competitions, said winning medals is not easy.
“The hardest part in shooting is the focus needed. It requires about four to six hours of training every day. I consider the gun part of me in skeet shooting because if you are not connected to your gun, you will not shoot 100 percent,” he said.
“I have a lot of achievements and one of them was winning the bronze medal in London. This will be my sixth participation in the Olympic Games,” he said with a smile.
Barshim, Qatar’s second genuine medal hope, said he was thrilled to be part of the Rio contingent.
“Rio is going to be my second Olympics and I’m really excited to go there and represent my country for a second time,” Barshim said at a Qatar Olympic Committee’s promotional gig prior to leaving for Rio de Janeiro.
“That’s really big. I’m looking forward to it and I want to go there, perform well and represent my country in the best way possible,” Barshim said. Barshim said injury had created doubt ahead of his Games debut in London.
“In 2012, it was really difficult as a I had stress fracture. I got the green light to compete 10 days before the Olympics. The moment I got on the field, I thought if this is my last jump ever, I will do it. I gave it all I had and I got the medal,” he recalled.
“To get the support of everyone from around Qatar is really important. You feel like you’ve got the nation behind your back and it really helps to give you a mental push,” he added.
Barshim, who has a fan in Javier Sotomoyor, said he won’t rush into being one of the greats of the game.
“I just have to be patient. As long as you keep doing your best every day. It is just a matter of time. You just can’t rush greatness. If you have to be great, it will take time,” Barshim said.
Sheikh Ali bin Khalid Al Thani, one of the top Qatari riders, said he spent a busy time preparing for the Rio Games ever since they bagged qualification in February 2015.
“Show jumping is a sport of precision and technique. It is the most difficult equestrian discipline. After countless hours of hard work and training, it all comes down to one minute and half during the competition,” Sheikh Khalid said.
“It feels amazing to enter the arena where competition takes place and all hopes are depending on you. The Olympics are every rider’s dream ambition,” he said.
Sheikh Khalid’s team mate Ali Al Rumaihi said: “Qatar has never had an equestrian team compete in the Olympics. The best way to compete for the country is to compete at the Olympics and hopefully win a medal.”
Eighteen-year-old weightlifter Ibrahim is just as dedicated to win a medal.
“I am a little nervous before the event,” Fares said. “But I am sure when I reach Rio, I will be okay. My fears will disappear then.
“My target is to be in the top-six at first and and then take it from there. I want to be in top bracket of lifters. I am being realistic. It is not easy to compete against the seniors as I am fairly young,” Fares said.
Young swimmer Akarji is all smiles ahead of her second Olympic Games show. “Being the first Qatari woman to represent my country in the Olympics was such a great honour and gives me such pride,” Akarji said about her debut performance in London.
“I want to inspire a lot of women, especially from the younger generations to be the best they can be. I encourage them to not be afraid and take risks.They should just be confident and do what they love,”Arkaji said.
Akarji will be competing in the 200m freestyle and 100m butterfly events. Qatar’s handball squad is making its debut at the Games. Qatar are in Group A with Tunisia, France, Denmark, Croatia and Argentina. Qatar will first face Croatia on August 7. A powerhouse in Asia and the rest of the world, Qatar handball team finished runners-up in the 2015 Worlds following a gold medal performance at the Incheon Asian Games the previous year.
Athletes Mohamed Al Garni, Ashraf El Seify and Abduelah Haroun add muscle to the track and field squad that also includes Barshim and Ogunode.
The Peninsula
