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Saudi Olympic Committee announces participation of 10 athletes in Paris 2024 Mashael Al-Ayed to become first female swimmer to represent Saudi Arabia at the Olympics
RIYADH — The Saudi Olympic and Paralympic Committee announced on Tuesday the participation of 10 athletes in the 33rd Summer Olympic Games hosted by Paris from July 26 to August 11. The athletes will compete in events including show jumping, taekwondo, athletics, and swimming. The Saudi delegation marks its first female presence in the Olympics through direct qualification by taekwondo player Dunia Abu Talib, who secured her spot during the Asian qualifying rounds held last March in Taian, China. Representing Saudi Arabia in show jumping are riders Ramzy Al-Duhami, Abdullah Al-Sharbatly, Khaled Al-Mobty, and Abdulrahman Al-Rajhi. They earned their Olympic berth by topping Group 7 qualifiers at the Doha International Show Jumping Championship last year. In athletics, 23-year-old shot putter Mohamed Tolo will make his Olympic debut after qualifying with an Asian record at the Madrid Athletics competition last June. He will be joined by his teammate, pole vaulter Hussain Al-Hizam, who also makes his first Olympic appearance, having accumulated 1,252 points in the global rankings. Regarding the wild card entries, opportunities provided by international federations to athletes and national federations who did not secure qualifying points or set records, Saudi female swimmer Mashael Al-Ayed (17 years old) will compete in the 200-meter freestyle event, becoming the first Saudi woman in history to participate in Olympic swimming. Alongside her will be the rising star and youngest Saudi athlete in the current edition, 16-year-old Zaid Al-Sarraj, who will compete in the 100-meter freestyle for the first time in his career. According to the Saudi Olympic Committee's website, the International Association of Athletics Federations has granted runner Heba Malam a wild card entry to compete in the women's 100 meters, marking her first participation in the Olympics.
