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Sheikh Ahmed Mohammed Hasher Al Maktoum
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The 45-year-old won the only gold medal for his country at the 2004 Athens Olympic Games, and he's ready to aim and fire down another one here in Beijing.
The UAE will send a team of eight athletes to the Beijing Olympics. Among them is Sheikh Ahmed Mohammed Hasher Al Maktoum--their most promising gold medal prospect who claimed the country's only Olympic gold medal at the 2004 Athens Games in the men's Double Trap discipline. The Olympic champion took up the sport in his thirties, 11 years before his gold medal success.
Sheikh Ahmed Mohammed Hasher Al Maktoum, UAE shooter, said, "The Olympic gold was for me like a painkiller because of the personal suffering I went through like I told you, I was 41 then and if I didn't win then, I would have waited for Beijing."
After winning gold, the 45-year-old Olympian decided to retire. But the only gold medallist in the history of the country was not to enjoy a lengthy lay-off. Before his welcome return to the sport, Sheikh Ahmed had many offers to coach foreign shooters, but was quick to turn them down.
Sheikh Ahmed Mohammed Hasher Al Maktoum, UAE shooter, said, "I thought about retiring and I was asked to think again, I was then convinced against it and decided to continue, I put my plans and ideas on the table, I then won the World Championship, the World Cup and qualified for the Beijing Olympics."
The UAE Olympic body is offering more than 250,000 US Dollars bonus for the winners of gold medals. But Sheikh Ahmed says he doesn't want any promises for personal gain and is only interested in promoting the sport to the young and nurturing possible future Olympic champions.
Sheikh Ahmed Mohammed Hasher Al Maktoum, UAE shooter, said,"I don't want personal promises, I want promises to be given the opportunity to help the new generation, to help the others."
The Olympic champion says he will give the Beijing Olympics his best shot.
(CCTV August 7, 2008)
