Swimming enthusiasts will be flooding the Corniche next week, as the first ever Abu Dhabi Swimming Festival launches in the capital. It’s not too late to sign up for a race (see right), whether you want to compete in the family relay, beat your colleagues in a corporate team or prove to yourself you can finish the 700m Splash Dash in a respectable time. And if you don’t want to get wet, you can just have breakfast on the beach while you support the swimmers. Serious competitors will be put through their paces by gruelling event The Waha Capital Abu Dhabi Mile, which has separate heats for males and females, and both races have a tempting prize of Dhs5,000 for the winner. Time Out caught up with professional Abu Dhabian swimmer Saeed Al Jasmi, who will be competing in this race. The holder
of nine GCC Swimming Championship titles, Saaed, 28, is one of the UAE’s best swimmers, and is currently also training for Dubai’s World Swimming Championship.
What’s your best stroke?
I am a freestyle swimmer, usually competing in short distances of 50-100m.
What do you think your chances are of winning the mile-long race? And what would be a good time for you to complete it in?
My chances are good! I think there will be strong competition though for the Waha Capital Mile; it is not going to be easy. There will be strong teams coming from Dubai. My aim is to finish the race in 18-20 minutes.
How hard have you been training to get in tip-top shape then?
I train every day between 5pm-7pm or 7pm-9pm except on Fridays. I do a warm up on dry land for half an hour, and then different swimming strokes for the rest of the two hours.
Wow, that’s a tough schedule. What is it that inspires you to train so hard?
I started swimming when I was seven years old. My inspiration came from my father, who used to be a traditional pearl diver. He used to take us to the water from a very early age, when I was about three or four years old.
What’s been your proudest swimming moment?
The day I heard the national anthem of the UAE and saw the flag of my country being raised during the GCC Swimming Championships, which I won.
What do you think about when you’re swimming?
Before the swim starts, I think about the finish line. I don’t think about the time. I just focus on the end.
Why do you think this swimming festival is such an important event for Abu Dhabi’s community?
It supports UAE sport in general, and helps promote Abu Dhabi as a key sporting and tourist destination. Abu Dhabi continues to host a variety of world-class events, and I hope the swimming festival will grow in size year-on-year. The festival supports the youth in our emirate, encouraging youngsters to participate in a fun and active event. Overall, I’m excited about the Abu Dhabi Swimming Festival – it’s the first major open water swimming event in Abu Dhabi offering races for all ages and abilities, and will help promote the sport here.
Make a Splash
Abu Dhabi Swimming Festival takes place on October 16 at the Corniche, starting at 6am. To register for a race, sign up online at www.swimabudhabi.com or call 050 668 4026. A donation of Dhs5 from each participant will go to the Donate a Brick campaign for Abu Dhabi Special Care Centre. For more information, visit www.donateabrick.com.
