Maitha to represent UAE at Beijing

Maitha to represent UAE at Beijing
By Alaric Gomes, Senior Reporter GULF NEWS Published: March 25, 2008, 00:34

Dubai: Shaikha Maitha Bint Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum will be representing the country during this summer's Olympic Games in Beijing.

Shaikha Maitha's participation at the Olympics was announced by the UAE National Olympic Committee yesterday.

Shaikha Maitha has been cleared to participate in taekwondo in the 67kg category for women.

The UAE NOC received a letter dated March 18 from the International Olympic Committee endorsing Shaikha Maitha's participation.

Joining the UAE national team captain will be Saeed Rashid Al Qubaisi in Judo in the 73kg category for men.

The UAE athlete was last week endorsed as the Best Female Arab Sportsperson for the second consecutive year following a poll conducted throughout the Arab region by popular website Maktoub.com.

Shaikha Maitha had polled the highest number of votes from among the 13 sportswomen from the 10 Arab countries.

Shaikha Maitha's training schedule is supervised by renowned former world karate champion Sameer Jumaa in the company of the experienced trainer Moeena Jadeed. Earlier this year, Shaikha Maitha had been bestowed with the World Fair Play Award for 2006.

Memorable effort

Shaikha Maitha created history when she became the first UAE woman to win an international gold when she won gold in the +65 kg category at the 10th Pan Arab Games held in Algeria in 2004.

Probably her most memorable performance came during the 2006 Doha Asian Games when Shaikha Maitha won the silver medal in the +60 kg category.