Azza al-Qassimi to hoist the Kingdom's flag during the inauguration of the London Olympics 2012

London: July 26 -- (BNA) Bahraini excellent shooter, Azza al-Qassimi,is set tomorrow set to experience an epoch-making event which constitutes a landmark in her sporting career as she has been accorded the honor of hoisting the Kingdom of Bahrain's flag during the inaugural ceremony of the London Olympics 2012.
The Bahraini Olympics Committee had selected Azza al-Qassimi in order that she hoists the Kingdom's flag during the London Olympics 2012 inauguration ceremony on behalf of the Arab and GCC sports arena because she has had accomplishment during various regional championships the most recent of which was the Twelfth Arabian Games in Doha late last year. (IY) 

Source: http://www.bna.bh/portal/en/news/518531

Al Hamad and mum-to-be steal the show

By Patrick Johnston | Reuter

LONDON (Reuters) - Shooter Bahia Al Hamad broke new ground for Qatar by becoming the country's first female Olympian when she finished 17th in the 10 metre air rifle qualifying event at the London Games on Saturday.

The 20-year-old, dressed in a headscarf, showed no ill effects from Friday night's opening ceremony when she carried the flag of the tiny Gulf nation, but her efforts ended at the first hurdle as she missed out on one of the eight places in the final.

Al Hamad finished with a score of 395 out of 400 from her 40 shots with 397 proving the required mark to compete for the first gold medal of the Games in a final which starts at 1000 GMT (1100 local time) on Saturday.

Swamped by requests for interviews the diminutive shooter appeared overawed by all the attention.

"Yes, I am very happy. I'm so proud," she told reporters before fleeing the media scrum that surrounding her.

Qatar, along with Saudi Arabia and Brunei, were the only IOC countries to have never sent a female competitor to the Olympics but all have women participating in London.

Al Hamad, who received a wild card to take part, is not the only woman competing for Qatar in London. Sprinter Noor Al-Malki and swimmer Nada Arakji will represent the nation which failed in a bid to host the 2020 Olympics but plans to try again for 2024.

Interest in the eight finalists at the Royal Artillery Barracks was limited as Malaysia's Nur Suryani Mohamed Taibi, who is eight months pregnant, stole the show.

Suryani said she had experienced three or four kicks during the 75 minute qualifying session. She finished 34th with a total of 392 from her 40 shots.

"I just breathed in and breathed out," she told reporters when asked if the kicks from her unborn child had put her off.

"I told her to behave herself, let mummy shoot, don't move so much. She always listens to me, luckily."

World number one Yi Siling of China and defending champion Katerina Emmons of the Czech Republic were amongst the eight women competing in the final which was attended by International Olympic Committee President Jacques Rogge.

(Reporting by Patrick Johnston; Editing by Mark Meadows and Matt Falloon; mark.meadows@thomsonreuters.com; Reuters Messaging:; mark.meadows.reuters.com@reuters.net; +44 20 7542 7933

Kuwait's Maryam Arzouqi

Saturday July 28, 03:19 PM

Kuwait's Maryam Arzouqi prepares to shoot during qualifiers for the women's 10-meter air rifle event at the 2012 Summer Olympics, Saturday, July 28, 2012, in London. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

Source: http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/28072012/5/photo/28072012142210.html

Olympics 2012: Pregnant Malaysian misses out on rifle shooting final

Eight-months pregnant Malaysian athlete Nur Suryani Mohamad Taibi has failed to make it to the Olympic 10m air rifle shooting final.

Suryani, 29, who is 33 weeks pregnant and is due to give birth on 13 September, finished in 34th position out of 56 competitors.

"When she kicks I breathe in and out and then continue," The BBC quoted Nur Suryani, as saying. When asked what she said to her daughter, who will be named Dayana Widyan, she said:, "Behave yourself, be calm, don't move so much. She always listened to me.

Suryani, who won a shooting gold at the 2010 Commonwealth Games, and needed special permission to fly to London for the Games because she is so heavily pregnant, will be returning to Malaysia on 31 July.

However, despite her defeat, she described competing at the Royal Artillery Barracks as a dream come true and said she would carry on shooting after the birth.

"I will still carry on because this is already my life. What I've heard is that a mother after delivery has fresh blood so they can perform better, I believe. That's the luck of being a woman," she said.

Source: http://www.dnaindia.com/sport/report_olympics-2012-pregnant-malaysian-misses-out-on-rifle-shooting-final_1721342