'Silver feels like gold' as Sulaiman Abdulrahman wins UAE's first athletics medal of 2026 Asian Games

Sulaiman Abdulrahman, a young athlete, secured the UAE's maiden medal at the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games by clinching silver in the men's 400 meters final. The teenager, competing as a junior, crossed the finish line in 44.99 seconds, just 0.09 seconds behind Thailand's Joshua Atkinson who claimed the gold in 44.90 seconds. UAE teammate Emmanuel Bamidele finished the race in fifth place, clocking 45.97 seconds.

This impressive achievement marks an exceptional year for Abdulrahman, who previously won the 400 meters gold at the Asian U20 Athletics Championships in Hong Kong, setting a championship record with a time of 44.85 seconds. Speaking on the significance of the silver, UAE Athletics Federation President Major General Dr Mohammed Abdullah Al Murr stated, "For us, this silver feels like gold, given the high standard of the race and the extremely narrow margin to first place."

He highlighted Abdulrahman's outstanding performance, which underscores the UAE's commitment to promoting athletics at international levels. The UAE's success in other disciplines, such as dressage, was also noteworthy. Ali Khalfan Al Jahouri and Bianca Schutz qualified for the individual freestyle final following their impressive performances.

Despite these victories, Indian badminton medalist HS Prannoy expressed disappointment with the event, criticizing the lack of a dedicated athletes' village and the grueling competition schedule. Prannoy claimed that the Games fell short of expectations, emphasizing the need for improvements in accommodations, transport, and competition scheduling.