مريم كريم ran 55.14 seconds in the 400m hurdles qualifiers, a personal best and the fastest mark across both heats. She topped her heat and the overall standings to reach Monday's final. WAM reported her qualification and record time. The Olympics.com athletics results page also confirms her place.
Her next race will decide whether that speed brings a medal. In the available Olympics.com results update, her qualification was confirmed, but the final's outcome was not listed. The final remained unlisted.
Thailand's Joshua Atkinson won the men's 400m in 44.90 seconds, with سليمان عبد الرحمن taking silver in 44.99 and Japan's Yuki Joseph Nakajima earning bronze in 45.22. The winning margin over the UAE runner was 0.09 seconds.
UAE opens its medal account
Before كريم's final, سليمان عبد الرحمن won the UAE delegation's first medal at the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games. He took silver in the men's 400 metres in 44.99 seconds. WAM reported that he missed gold by 0.09 seconds. Reuters, as reported by Gulf Today, confirmed the podium times. The medal ceremony took place on Sunday alongside the athletics programme. UAE athletes also reached the podium in other competitions outside Nagoya, including the powerlifting medals in Turkey.
The UAE's other Sunday results were mixed. In trap shooting, الشيخ محمد بن دلموك آل مكتوم sits fifth after hitting 48 of 50 targets, with 24 in each round. يحيى سهيل المهيري is 26th on 44, after scores of 23 and 21. Both resume qualifying on Monday.
Federation president Mohammed Abdullah Al Murr congratulated the country's leadership and said the silver 'feels like gold', citing the high level of the final and the narrow margin to victory.
Finals reached and exits recorded
In dressage freestyle, بيانكا شوتز placed 12th on "لو غراند آيدن إتش بي" with 70.930%. علي خلفان الجهوري finished 13th on "لوتس إس" with 68.945%. Both qualified for the individual freestyle final. It is the first time two UAE riders have reached that final at the same Asian Games.
Archery brought a win and several exits. The UAE mixed recurve team beat Nepal 6-2, then lost to India 0-6 in the round of 16. At the same stage, India defeated the men's compound team 235-215. South Korea beat the women's compound team 234-225. China edged the mixed compound team 153-150, and Chinese Taipei defeated the women's recurve team 6-0. جمانة النجار said her result came close to her target and included a personal best. She also called competing against different Asian styles and high-level archers valuable experience.
The men's épée team exited in the round of 16 after a 36-45 loss to Hong Kong, China. On Monday, كريم races in the final. The programme also includes the second trap qualifying round and the opening round of women's doubles padel for فاطمة بن شهدور and مريم الهاشمي.
Sunday brought the UAE its first medal and a leading qualifying mark. Monday will bring the verdict on the latter. كريم's 55.14 seconds put her at the top of the qualifiers, but the final will decide the outcome. The next test is set.
