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Hussein Shawky, an athlete of Abu Dhabi Aquatics Club and swimmer of the UAE national team, achieved a historic milestone by becoming the first UAE national team swimmer to win a medal at the 12th Asian Age Group Swimming Championships, currently being held in Bangkok, Thailand. Shawky claimed a gold medal in the 50m freestyle in a time of 22.59 seconds and secured silver medal in the 50m butterfly after recording 24.50 seconds.
This achievement marks another milestone in Shawky’s promising career, indicating remarkable progress in his journey since he joined the programs of the UAE Committee for Talent and Sports Support (UAETSS) under the Ministry of Sports in November 2025. The UAETSS plays an instrumental role in nurturing promising talents by providing comprehensive support, confidence and tailored development and follow-up programs, ensuring that athletes are fully prepared to advance and excel at continental and international levels.
H.E. Sheikh Suhail bin Butti Al Maktoum, Assistant Undersecretary for the Sports Development and Competitiveness Sector at the Ministry of Sports and Chairman of the UAETSS, emphasised that Shawky’s achievement reflects the UAETSS’s long-term vision of investing in emerging young talents and helping them achieve their full potential. H.E. further stated that the UAETSS relentlessly works to empower promising athletes through an integrated ecosystem, equipping them with the capabilities and opportunities needed to succeed across all major sporting events.
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E. said: “We are immensely proud of Hussein Shawky’s achievement, which reflects his dedication, perseverance and commitment to excellence. His success is also a testament to the collective efforts of the UAE’s sports ecosystem, with collaborations between the various components of the national sports system that create meaningful pathways for young athletes to thrive. It further underscores the importance of investing in the development of young talents as a cornerstone for the future of Emirati sports. The Committee remains committed to collaborating with sports federations and clubs to identify and nurture more talents and provide them with an enabling environment that translates their ambitious vision into achievements, thereby enabling them to hoist the UAE flag across major global and international platforms.”
For its part, the UAE Aquatics Federation highlighted that swimmer Hussein Shawqi’s achievement represents a significant milestone in the journey of Emirati aquatics, reflecting the collective efforts with various partners to develop the sport and elevate the performance levels of its athletes. The Federation noted that the outstanding results achieved by the swimmer are the outcome of comprehensive preparation programmes and technical plans implemented in coordination with the Ministry of Sports and the UAETSS. These efforts aim to provide a competitive environment that nurtures athletes’ capabilities and enables them to achieve further accomplishments across all levels.
Meanwhile, Abu Dhabi Aquatics Club expressed its pride in the achievement of its athlete Hussein Shawqi, affirming that his performances reflect the quality of the preparation and development programmes adopted by the club under the supervision of the Federation to enhance swimmers’ skills and develop their capabilities in accordance with the highest technical standards. The Club noted that this achievement embodies its vision of developing a generation of champions capable of proudly representing the UAE, while reaffirming its continued efforts to support athletes and provide an inspiring training environment that enables them to achieve further success across various sporting competitions.
Since joining the Committee, champion Hussein Shawky has delivered exceptional performances across regional and international competitions, strengthening his presence among the leading rising swimmers in Asia. These include winning gold in the 50m at the Asian Youth Games Bahrain 2025, where he recorded the fastest time in the game’s history. During the same competition, he also claimed a bronze medal in the 50 m freestyle after competing in three finals within 24 hours, alongside securing other local and international medals, further establishing himself as one of Asia’s most promising young swimmers.
Shawky’s latest success at the Asian Age Group Swimming Championships reflects the continued rise of UAE sports, particularly swimming, on the international stage. It further reinforces the efforts and impact of the Ministry of Sports and the UAE Committee For Talent and Sports Support in developing a new generation of Emirati athletes capable of competing and succeeding across various competitions.