UAE swimmer claims gold and rewrites history at Asian Youth Games

Emirati swimmer Hussain Shawqi delivered a standout performance at the Asian Youth Games in Bahrain, setting a new event record in the 50m butterfly and claiming gold for the UAE with a blistering time of 24.73 seconds, WAM reported.

Shawqi’s finish marked the fastest in the history of the Games, edging out Hong Kong’s Lau Kin James, who clocked 24.97 seconds to take silver, while Wu Chao-Si of Chinese Taipei earned bronze in 25.05 seconds.

The young swimmer’s triumph capped a remarkable 24-hour run in which he contested three finals, sustaining his remarkable form across multiple disciplines. Earlier, Shawqi had advanced to the 50m butterfly final with a qualifying time of 25.16 seconds and secured a bronze medal in the 50m freestyle on Monday.

His latest gold lifted the UAE’s total to 19 medals - including 8 gold, 6 silver, and 5 bronze - placing the country sixth overall and first among Arab nations. China continues to lead the medal table with 98, followed by Uzbekistan (40) and Thailand (33).

Reflecting on his victory, Shawqi credited discipline and consistency as the foundation of his success. “Every race is an opportunity to improve and make my country proud,” he said, extending gratitude to the Ministry of Sports, the National Olympic Committee, and the UAE Aquatic Sports Federation for their unwavering support.

Head coach Marwan Al Hattawi, who has guided the national team through an intensive training program since June, praised Shawqi’s performance as “a testament to hard work and preparation.” He added that the team’s structured buildup to the Games had paid off with one of the UAE’s most successful swimming campaigns to date.