UAE Princess Will Compete in Taekwondo at Beijing Olympics
By Kim Se-jeong
Staff Reporter
Sheikha Maitha Mohammad Rashid Al Maktoum, 29, looks like a model at nearly 178 centimeters tall, long black hair and a distinctive look. In fact she is a daughter of Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the ruler of Dubai and prime minister of the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
But in August, she will spend most of her time in a white, UAE-flag stitched uniform of taekwondo, the traditional Korean martial arts, competing with world-class athletes in the Summer Olympic Games in Beijing in the women's under 67kg category.
With the opening of the Olympics a few days away, Maktoum is stepping up her final training effort in Korea.
The princess said final training in the birthplace of taekwondo is very significant. ``It's a good chance to practice and to gain experience,'' she said at a press conference in Seoul, Monday.
``It was always my dream to represent my country. I will fight at the best of my ability for my country,'' Maktoum said.
She will vie in the Olympics as a wildcard contestant, an opportunity given to less qualified athletes to be able to compete, and her appearance is expected to raise awareness of taekwondo in her country where Japan's karate has had a stronghold.
Born to an athletic family, she grew up friendly with ``all sports.''
Especially with martial arts, since her father first showed her karate in her childhood, she has had a special relationship, she said.
From 2000, she began to practice karate professionally, participating in many international competitions, including the 2002 Asian Games in Busan.
In 2004, Maktoum turned to taekwondo, taking four years to be able to compete at the Olympic Games this year. She also serves as honorary president of the UAE Taekwondo and Karate Federation.
Along with her, three other cousins from the royal family will also compete at the Beijing Olympics ― two in shooting and one in equestrian ― proving the strong athletic orientation of the family.
She is undergoing training at Kyung Hee University in Seoul, and will leave for Beijing on Wednesday.
At the Olympics, 128 athletes from 64 countries will vie in the taekwondo competition for 32 medals. Of 128, 120 berths were given through normal qualification tournaments; four to the host, China; and the remaining four to wildcard recipients ― the UAE, Afghanistan, Belize and Niger.