Sana'a: The national teams are preparing to participate in the 2026 Asian Games, scheduled to be held in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, from September 19 to October 4.
According to Yemen News Agency, with the support of the Yemeni Olympic Committee, 27 athletes will participate in the Games, including 17 male and female athletes and 10 coaches, competing in nine sports: athletics, table tennis, boxing, swimming, archery, wushu (sanda and taolu), judo, tennis, and shooting. The athletes are currently undergoing training and participating in domestic and international camps to improve their levels and technical abilities in preparation for the Asian Games, which are expected to be highly competitive, especially with the participation of world champions in several sports.
The national table tennis team is preparing for participation through internal and external training camps. The team consists of players Majd Al-Dhabhani, Ibrahim Jabran, and Abdulrahman Al-Yafai, under the leadership and supervision of coach Hani Youssef. Majd Al-Dhabhani has been in an internal training camp in Sana'a for about a month, while Ibrahim Jabran has been in an external training camp in China for approximately two months. Abdulrahman Al-Yafai trains at the club where he plays professionally abroad. Coach Hani Youssef supervises Jabran and Al-Yafai's training online to stay informed about their progress. An external training camp with Majd Al-Dhabhani in Cairo, Egypt, is set to begin on August 25th, with Abdulrahman Al-Yafai joining the camp for 20 days before the team departs for Japan.
The national archery team is participating with one male archer and one female archer, Nasr Ahmed Al-Sayaghi and Maram Noman, under the guidance of coach Mohammed Ahmed Al-Sayaghi. Nasr Al-Sayaghi is in an overseas training camp in Bangladesh, while Maram Noman trains in Turkey under a local coach. The camp for Nasr consists of four phases, with training intensifying in each phase. Team and individual training occur weekly.
Yemeni boxer Mustafa Mohammed Abdo continues his daily training under coach Mamoun Al-Salmi. Mustafa's training started early at his club in Aden, focusing on physical conditioning and technical skills. An overseas training camp in Cairo, Egypt, is planned, involving the Egyptian national boxing team for 20 days. Mustafa has participated in international tournaments, earning several medals.
The judo team will participate in the tournament with athlete Hisham Makaber and coach Ali Khosrof. Preparation began in Sana'a in May, followed by an overseas training camp in Portugal. An additional camp in Japan is planned before the competition. The aim is to develop technical skills through interactions with international athletes.
In the wushu competition, three players and two coaches are participating, competing in Taolu and Sanda styles. Training began in January, with intensive training starting in June. The team is currently in Muscat, awaiting visas for an overseas camp in China.
The swimming team will compete with swimmers Yousef Marwan Nasser and Abdullah Adnan Barakat, under coach Abdul Salam Al-Jaadabi. Barakat trains in Sana'a, while Youssef is in Portugal. Barakat may attend a camp in Cairo. Participation aims for honorable representation and experience.
In shooting, the country is participating with two athletes, Yasmin Al-Rimi and Ahlam Al-Najjar, supervised by coach Amal Madhish. Training began in Sana'a, with plans for a camp in Indonesia, pending visa and permit approvals.
The athletics team consists of two athletes, Abdullah Al-Hasouli and Abu Bakr Bagouth, under coach Saeed Al-Adhra'i. Training occurs in Dhamar and Hadramawt, with a camp in Qatar planned before the Games.
In tennis, player Fares Al-Wazir, supervised by coach Sultan Al-Masmari, began preparations in Sana'a, followed by a local tournament victory. An external camp in Egypt is planned to ensure readiness for the Games.