Emirati shooting has long held a place on the international stage, with the UAE producing medal winners across pistol, rifle, skeet and trap.
The sport remains closely tied to the country’s heritage, while also drawing in a younger generation through regular competition and wider access across the Emirates.
Its strongest moment on the Olympic stage came in Athens in 2004, when Sheikh Ahmed bin Hasher Al Maktoum won gold in double trap. It remains one of the most significant achievements in UAE sport.
The country has also built a strong record in Paralympic competition. Abdulla Sultan Al Aryani has been one of its standout athletes, winning five Paralympic medals, including gold at London 2012 and Tokyo 2020.
UAE shooters have remained active at major events over the years, with Olympic appearances stretching from Atlanta 1996 to Tokyo 2020. More recently, the national trap team claimed bronze at the Asian Championships in Doha in January.
That progress has been supported by local institutions including the Weapons and Hazardous Substance Office, Al Ain Shooting Club and the Hamdan bin Mohammed Heritage Centre, all of which have helped strengthen the sport’s structure in the UAE.
There has also been a wider push to make the sport more accessible. Women and people of determination have continued to feature prominently, both in local events and on the international stage.
At home, the UAE Licensed Weapons Shooting Championship has become one of the clearest signs of the sport’s growth. More than 850 competitors took part from across the country, underlining how much interest has spread beyond elite level.
Salem Saeed Al Sabousi, chairman of Al Dhafra Shooting Club, said the sport has developed significantly in recent years, helped by year-round events and a growing base of young shooters.
Major events such as the Abu Dhabi International Shotgun Championship have also helped reinforce the UAE’s position as a serious host for top-level competition.
The results, and the depth now visible at home, suggest shooting remains one of the UAE’s most established success stories in international sport.
