Ahead of the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games, which start on Tuesday, Etihad Airways has flown 32 members of the UAE Paralympic Committee to the Japanese capital. The biggest para sports event in the world is returning to Japan 57 years after Tokyo 1964, with more than 4,500 athletes competing over the course of 12 days. A total of 12 athletes will represent the UAE in the Games, in the fields of athletics, powerlifting, cycling and shooting. The UAE team includes champion shooter Abdulla Sultan Alaryani, who won double gold at the 2018 World Shooting Para Sport Championships in Cheongju, South Korea, as well as three silver medals at the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games. “We are very excited to fly on our national airline, amongst our UAE team, including Abdulla Sultan Alaryani, the world champion medallist in shooting who is going for the gold. We are excited to see just how far we can go at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics, with hard work, persistence and just a little bit of luck is all we need to win,” said Mohammed Fadel Al Hameli, chairman of the UAE Paralympic Committee. Terry Daly, executive director guest experience, brand and marketing, Etihad, said: “As the UAE’s national flag carrier, Etihad is proud to support the UAE Paralympic Committee and to fly the talented UAE national team and their support crew to the Games. On behalf of the Etihad family, we wish them the best of luck in their Olympic journey.”
