Abu Dhabi: Abu Dhabi’s specialised sports clubs have achieved a qualitative leap in discovering and nurturing talent across several Olympic disciplines since their establishment in November 2021.

Following a decision by His Highness Sheikh Nahyan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Sports Council, six dedicated entities were formed to overhaul the emirate's sporting sector: the Abu Dhabi clubs for fencing, athletics, weightlifting, archery, aquatic sports, and tennis.

These institutions aim to expand community participation and align with the government’s vision to enhance quality of life by making sports a lifestyle staple. By utilising scientific planning and partnerships with schools, the clubs have successfully integrated citizens and residents into professional training programmes, rapidly producing athletes capable of international competition.

The Abu Dhabi Aquatic Sports Club recently demonstrated this progress by leading the standings at the Finswimming World Cup in Abu Dhabi with 51 medals, while swimmer Hussain Shawqi set a new Arab record in the 50-metre freestyle. Similarly, the Abu Dhabi Athletics Club secured six medals at the Arab Women’s Club Championship and launched a talent discovery project involving 16 schools, resulting in 66 local medals and five national records.

Success has extended to weightlifting and archery, with the Abu Dhabi Weightlifting Club securing gold and silver at the Open Masters Games Abu Dhabi 2026.

In archery, Hamad Al Hammadi made history as the first Emirati to win a silver medal at the Under-13 World Championships. Supporting this ecosystem, the Abu Dhabi Sports Council provides advanced infrastructure and administrative initiatives to ensure these athletes reach global podiums.

Club chairpersons, including Humaid Al Houti of aquatic sports and Khalid Rashid Al Zaabi of athletics, highlighted that these rapid achievements reflect a strategic commitment to building a sustainable pipeline for national teams. Lubna Al Shamsi, Chairperson of the Abu Dhabi Archery Club, affirmed that the continued support is fostering a new generation of world-class competitors.