Athletics chief praises 'exceptional achievement' of UAE's Asian Games gold medal winner
The head of the UAE Athletics Federation has praised Mariam Kareem's "exceptional achievement" in winning the country's first gold medal at the 2026 Asian Games. Kareem came home first in the women's 400m hurdles final in Aichi-Nagoya on Monday, setting a new Asian Games record time of 54.31 seconds . The teenager had qualified for the final with a dominant run in the heats on Sunday as she…
The president of the UAE Athletics Federation, Major General Dr Mohammed Abdullah Al Murr, lauded Mariam Kareem's remarkable achievement of clinching the first gold medal for her country at the 2026 Asian Games. Kareem claimed victory in the women's 400m hurdles final with a time of 54.31 seconds, setting a new Asian Games record and the world's best U20 time in 2026.
The 18-year-old had secured a place in the final with her dominant performance in the heats, where she achieved a personal best of 55.14 seconds. "We are immensely proud of Mariam Kareem's exceptional achievement," stated the sports leader. "She has not only secured the UAE's inaugural gold medal of the Games, but also established a new Games record and a world U20 record at such a tender age."
Al Murr further expressed his admiration, affirming that Kareem's accomplishment is a testament to the UAE's investment in national talent and the unwavering support extended to Emirati sports. The athlete's impressive season was highlighted by her previous victories at the Asian U20 Championships in Hong Kong, where she secured gold in the 400m hurdles, along with two gold medals from the 2025 Asian U18 Athletics Championships in Dammam.
While Kareem represented the UAE at the 2024 Olympics, she failed to advance to the preliminary heats of the 100m race. In addition to Kareem's success, Sulaiman Abdulrahman secured the UAE's first silver medal of the Games. The 19-year-old finished second in the men's 400m final, just 0.09 seconds behind Thailand's Joshua Atkinson.
"For us, this silver feels like gold, given the competition's high standard and the narrow margin to the winner," remarked Al Murr. "Sulaiman's performance underscores how we aspire to showcase UAE athletics at continental and international arenas." Abdulrahman's silver medal marked another stellar year for the 19-year-old, who previously claimed gold at the Asian U20 Athletics Championships in Hong Kong, setting a championship record with a time of 44.85 seconds and becoming the first competitor in the competition's history to break the 45-second barrier.
Written by urgent.news from The National Business's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
This story
This is one outlet's version. Read the fullest account.
