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UAE: Meet Emirati double amputee who excels in Paralympic shooting

Ayesha Al Shamsi was a special guest at Dubai Police's AccessAbilities Expo

Published: Mon 7 Oct 2024, 8:07 PM

Updated: Mon 7 Oct 2024, 8:11 PM

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For Emirati Ayesha Al Shamsi, shooting was something she immensely enjoyed doing in her favourite video game Call of Duty. However, when the double amputee got a chance to try it in real life, she did not think twice about it, making her mark in Paralympic shooting.

In August this year, Ayesha was part of the UAE’s Paralympics team at Paris — participating for the second time in the competition after Tokyo 2021.

“Every time I pull the trigger and my shot hits its target, I feel a surge of excitement,” she said to Khaleej Times. Ayesha was a special guest at the Dubai Police stand at the sixth edition of the AccessAbilities Expo that began in the emirate on Monday. “When I fail to get a perfect score, I keep thinking about it and I can’t rest until I fix my mistakes.”

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The 40-year-old said she considered herself blessed to have the chances that she has. “I want to tell people not to make excuses that I don’t have the talent or I don’t have the time,” she said. “No matter what you have or don’t have, your attitude is what matters the most. If you have the right attitude, you can transform any dream into a reality.”

The largest exhibition for people of determination in the Middle East, AccessAbilities Expo provides a platform to bring unique solutions to improve the lives of those with special needs.

She trains for more than two hours everyday at the Dubai Centre for people of determination, perfecting her aim and shot. “I dream of being the best shooter in the world and winning a lot of medals,” she said.

Special wheelchair

This year, she competed using a special wheelchair that was completely designed and manufactured in the UAE.

“We had a special team at Dubai Police who took into consideration her needs while she is shooting,” said First Warrant Officer Mohammed Hussain. “We adjusted the height of the rifle and added in some extra fittings to make sure she could use it to the best of her ability.”

The officer demonstrated the trigger ring that Ayesha uses with her foot to shoot. “Earlier, I used to pull it with my mouth,” she said. “Then, I figured a way to pull it with my toe.”

The wheelchair includes a height-adjustable rifle holder and is designed for easy transport. The length of the trigger has been adjusted in such a way that it easily reaches Ayesha’s toes.

“This is the second iteration of the wheelchair we made,” said Mohammed. “The first one was manual but this one is electronic. We also fixed some other details in this wheelchair.”

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