UAE swimmer Yousuf Al Matrooshi sets best time but just misses out on Olympic semi-final

Dubai athlete said before Games that he hopes to inspire other Emiratis

Yousuf Almatrooshi clocked a time of 50.39secs to finish joint second alongside St Lucia's Jayhan Odlum-Smith and only 0.04secs behind heat winner Nikolas Antoniou of Cyprus. AFP

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The UAE's Yousuf Al Matrooshi finished second in his heat with a personal best on Tuesday but just missed out on a place in the Paris Olympics 100m freestyle semi-finals.

The 21-year-old from Dubai clocked a time of 50.39 secs to finish joint second alongside St Lucia's Jayhan Odlum-Smith and only 0.04 secs behind heat winner Nikolas Antoniou of Cyprus.

Al Matrooshi led the race at the turn and maintained his speed all the way to the end, with only a late surge from Antoniou denying him the victory.

However, only the 16 fastest times advanced to Tuesday night's semi-finals, with Al Matrooshi further down the field as the 44th fastest swimmer.

The University of Michigan International Studies student, 21, has spent the past two years in the US preparing for the Paris Games.

Al Matrooshi was taking part in his second Games after he competed in Tokyo three years ago. There he finished third in his heat at the Tokyo Aquatics Centre after clocking 51.50 secs but finished 50th in a field of 70 to miss out on the semi-finals.

After preparing for Paris following a training programme set by UAE national swimming team coach Marwan Al Hattawi, Al Matrooshi was feeling confident in the build-up to the Games.

“For me, having had the Tokyo Olympics be such a positive and memorable opportunity, it has actually made me so much more excited for Paris,” he said.

“I’m hoping to achieve a personal best in Paris. Even though I was young in Tokyo, being around so many exceptional athletes ignites and energises you to not only do your best, but to continue and try to become a better swimmer to be competing against them.

"What I learnt the most in Tokyo is that no matter how many athletes you are competing against, you need to make sure that you are not distracted from your goals."

On his build-up to Paris, he added: “As a competitor, no matter how prepared you are, there is always something you are looking to improve. I’ve just completed my second year at University of Michigan, so in truth my preparations started when I made the move two years ago.

"The American Swimming Program is amazing, but before I could begin to benefit from it, I needed to put in a lot of work. So, I have been preparing myself to be a better swimmer for the past two years, with Paris as the main focus since the World Aquatics Championships in Doha this past February."

Al Matrooshi is part of a 14-member UAE contingent taking part in five sports: showjumping, judo, swimming, cycling, and athletics.

The Games also gives him an opportunity to be a groundbreaker and he hopes to inspire other Emiratis.

“As an Emirati, I think it is important to know that if you are committed and willing to put in the hard work, your country will support you. It is because the improvements you make will inspire even greater improvements for those beginning their own journey after you.”