The 2016 Rio Olympics begin on August 5. This article is part of The National Sport preview coverage of the UAE contingent, which will consist of 13 athletes competing in multiple events.
Rio, it is safe to say, was not on Nada Al Bedwawi’s mind.
Tokyo 2020 was the real target for the 19-year-old swimmer but she now has an early chance to mingle with and learn from the world’s best swimmers.
Al Bedwawi is one of two swimmers in the UAE’s Olympics squad, along with the 20-year-old Yaqoub al Saadi, who will compete in the 50-metre and 100m backstroke events.
Al Bedwawi is a wildcard entry in the 50m freestyle event, a development she was apprised of only a few months ago.
“At first I was targeting the Olympics in 2020, I was working to that, but just did not think it would come this soon,” she said before leaving for Rio.
More UAE Olympic preview coverage
• Rio 2016: The National's coverage of the Olympics
• Osman Samiuddin: Rio 2016 – UAE's team will be the country's largest Olympic contingent
• Ahmed Rizvi: Rio 2016 – Weight of expectations lie easy on shoulders of UAE's Aisha Al Balooshi
These Games hold a greater significance for her as she will be the UAE’s flagbearer at the opening ceremony on Friday.
“I was really happy and really shocked to be going to Rio. Most of all I’m really honoured to be going to represent my country and secondly I’m even more honoured to be the flagbearer at the ceremony.”
Al Bedwawi currently fits swimming in alongside a busy academic life – she is studying for a biology degree at NYU Abu Dhabi. But once she graduates, in 2019, she hopes to devote her entire gap year to training for Tokyo.
Al Saadi, who holds the national record in the 50m and 100m backstroke, is a product of the Al Ain club, where he lives and does all of his training.
His coaches see him as a potential champion and last year, at the GCC Swimming Championship in Dubai, won three golds.
“My ambition is to be an Arab champion,” Al Saadi said in an interview last year. “My parents have really supported me. They are always present at every competition.”
Al Bedwawi is hoping to meet her role models Katie Ledecky and the Egyptian Farida Osman at Rio.
“In Rio, I’m just hoping to represent my country in the best way possible, to break down the barriers and pave the way for other Emirati girls to take up swimming.”
osamiuddin@thenational.ae
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