HONG KONG (WAM)
The national athletics team concluded its participation in the 22nd Asian U20 Athletics Championships in Hong Kong, held from May 28 to 31, by securing fourth place in the overall standings among 30 participating countries, with a total of six medals: five gold and one bronze.
China topped the overall standings with 25 medals, including 14 gold, 9 silver and 2 bronze medals. India finished second with 18 medals (9 gold, 5 silver and 4 bronze), while Japan placed third with 17 medals (5 gold, 5 silver and 7 bronze).
Major General Dr Mohammed Abdullah Al Mur, President of the UAE Athletics Federation, described fourth place as an exceptional achievement compared to many strong and established athletics nations in Asia, especially as the UAE team competed with a group of promising athletes against some of the continent’s top young stars and champions.
He emphasised that the achievement carries even greater significance because the UAE participated with only 10 male and female athletes, compared to several teams that fielded more than 50 competitors, reflecting the quality of the federation’s preparation and development programmes and its continued success in identifying and nurturing national talent capable of competing at the highest Asian and international levels.
He added that the result represents a valuable contribution to the federation’s efforts to strengthen its developmental and competitive strategy in international championships through a progressive pathway that begins with Gulf and Arab competitions, advances to continental events, and aspires to even greater achievements in the coming years.
The federation president congratulated the medal winners across the various events, praising their determination and commitment to raising the UAE flag on the podium.
Al Mur also commended the strong technical performances delivered by the rest of the national team throughout the championship.