Teenager Mariam Kareem Makes History with Record-Breaking Gold for UAE at Asian Games

The head of the UAE Olympic Committee has praised Mariam Kareem for her exceptional achievement in securing the country's first gold medal at the 2026 Asian Games. Competing in Aichi-Nagoya on Monday, Kareem triumphed in the women's 400m hurdles final by setting a new Asian Games record time of 54.31 seconds.

The teenager had previously qualified for the final following a dominant run in her heat on Sunday, where she clocked a personal-best time of 55.14 seconds.

Major General Dr Mohammed Abdullah Al Murr, president of the UAE Athletics Federation, expressed immense pride in the 18-year-old's accomplishments. "She not only delivered the UAE’s first gold medal of the Games, but also set a new Games record of 54.31 seconds and recorded the world’s best U20 time of 2026 – all at just 18 years of age," he said, adding that her performance highlights the emergence of a promising Emirati talent capable of competing at the highest global levels.

This gold medal crowns a remarkable season for Kareem, who previously secured 400m hurdles gold at the Asian U20 Championships in Hong Kong and claimed two gold medals at the 2025 Asian U18 Athletics Championships in Dammam in both the 200m and 400m hurdles. She also represented the UAE at the 2024 Olympics, running a personal best time of 13.26 in the 100m.

Al Murr attributed the success to the continuous support of the wise leadership and ongoing investments in national talent. The nation's success was further bolstered by Sulaiman Abdulrahman, who won a silver medal in the men's 400m final with a time of 44.99 seconds, finishing just 0.09 seconds behind Thailand's Joshua Atkinson. The 19-year-old Sulaiman also continues an impressive year following his 400m gold and championship record at the Asian U20 Athletics Championships in Hong Kong.