Paralympic medallists Mohammed Al Hammadi, Sara Al Senaani and Noura Alktebi will lead the Emirati challenge at the 12th Fazza International Championships – Dubai 2021 World Para Athletics Grand Prix that gets underway at the Dubai Club for People of Determination grounds here from Feb. 10-13, 2021.
The three of them will lead a 48-member United Arab Emirates’ team who would look to secure as many slots for the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics scheduled this Summer.
For Al Hammadi, the celebrated middle-distance racer from UAE, memories of his Dubai 2019 World Championships heroics will surely revive when he competes at the Dubai Club grounds. He had claimed three medals including a gold at his favourite Men’s 800m T34 event at the Worlds.
While Al Hammadi will be seen in action in Men’s 100m and 800m T34 events, Al Senaani will look to secure her Tokyo 2020 here in Women’s Shot put F33 event.
"After more than year of no competition, it feels nice to finally getting to compete. I have been participating at Fazza competition since 2011, so I have fond memories of this event," said Al Senaani, who became the first Emirati female player to win a Paralympic medal at Rio 2016.
Dubai Club’s Shot putter and Discus thrower Siham Alrasheedy (F57), who is looking forward to the Paralympic Games, is excited to compete at her home ground yet again.
"This will be an important event for all the Para-athletes. For me personally, I want to get closer to my personal best (26.98 at Dubai 2019 Worlds). So, my target here will be throwing a distance of 26.50 metres.
"There will be pressure on me to perform and get back into the competition mode because I don’t know if I can go to the next competition in Tunisia owing to the Covid-19 situation. Dubai has taken all precautionary measures and hope that this will be a good competition for all the visiting teams," Alrasheedy said.
Alktebi will be in action in Women’s Shot Put and Club Throw F32 events.
This year’s Championships, hosted under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mansoor bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of the Dubai Sports Council, will serve as one of the seven qualifying Para Athletics events for Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games with over 600 Para-athletes from 63 countries confirmed for it.
Nine teams to compete for first time
Despite the Covid-19 scare across the world, this year’s Para Athletics Grand Prix will witness participation from 9 new nations that included Botswana, Cuba, Kyrgyzstan, Madagascar, Malawi, Maldives, Mozambique, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
Among the ones to watch out from these nations will be Cuban multiple-time Paralympic gold medallist Omara Durand who will be in action in women’s T12 sprints.
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