Hopefully this will be the first of many good news stories for the UAE Olympic team over the next month as the Rio Olympics 2016 kicks off in Brazil on the 6th of August. Nada al Bedwawi, 18, has been chosen as the frist Emirati Swimmer to bear the Olympic flag, there are 5 swimmers chosen in total. She told Sport 360. 

‘It’s such an honor’

“I’m very shocked and I’m very excited and I’m really thankful for their trust in me to be the nation’s flag-bearer, . . . I didn’t know who was going to carry the flag, I thought it was going to be Sheikh Saeed (Al Maktoum). I was reading an article that asked ‘will there be a female flag-bearer this year, or not?’ It’s just amazing, I’m the first female swimmer and now I’m the flag-bearer too. It’s such an honor.”

Nada al Bedwawi​

‘I thank the nation’s trust in me to be the UAE’s flag bearer at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games!!!’

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UAE Olympic team in Full

• Athletics: Betlhem Belayneh (1,500m), Alia Saeed (10,000m) and Saud Al Zaabi (1,500m) Cycling: Yousif Mirza (road race) 
• Judo: Victor Scvortov (Men’s 73 kg), Sergiu Toma (Men’s 81 kg) and Ivan Remarenco (Men’s 100 kg) 
• Shooting: Sheikh Saeed Al Maktoum (Skeet), Saif bin Futtais (Skeet) and Khalid Al Kaabi (Double Trap) 
• Swimming: Nadal Al Bedwawi (50m freestyle) and Yaaqoub Al Saadi (100m backstroke) 
• Weightlifting: Aisha Al Balushi (58kg)