The UAE modern sailing team topped the overall standings at the 2026 Arab Optimist Sailing Championship in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, finishing the competition with five medals — three gold and two silver.
The championship, hosted by the Jeddah Sailing Centre, brought together 51 sailors from 13 Arab countries. The UAE secured gold in the team race, while John Luca Herievi won gold in the overall Arab classification. Hamad Al Muhairi added another gold in the juniors category.
The UAE’s two silver medals were also secured through strong individual performances. Herievi claimed silver in the overall classification, while Carolina Bajak finished with silver in the girls’ category.
The UAE delegation featured six sailors: Hamad Al Muhairi, Dhiab Al Muhairi, Khalifa Al Rumaithi, Raed Al Hosani, John Luca Herievi and Carolina Bajak. They competed under the supervision of Zohair Labat, technical director of the UAE Modern Sailing and Rowing Federation.
The results underline the UAE’s growing investment in developing young sailing talent. The participating athletes have been included in the UAE Sports Talent Care Committee’s programme, following a memorandum of understanding between the federation and the Ministry of Sport signed in June.
The strong performance in Jeddah adds another notable achievement to the UAE’s growing presence in regional sailing and highlights the development of its next generation of athletes.
