What does a medal really represent? For athletes gathered in Abu Dhabi to unveil the official medal of the Open Masters Games Abu Dhabi 2026, held February 6-15, it was not just a symbol of victory, but a reflection of loss, perseverance, family and a journey that, as organisers said, “does not end at the finish line”.
Unveiled during a ceremony attended by Emirati sports figures and champions, the medal’s design was inspired by the finish line itself — not as a boundary, but as a beginning. Drawing on Abu Dhabi’s natural landscape, it reflects the sea, desert dunes and open sky, symbolising ambition without limits and a journey that continues across generations.
As the stories shared with Khaleej Times revealed, that symbolism resonated deeply with the athletes standing beneath it.
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‘I turned grief into strength’
Among them was UAE jiu-jitsu champion Omar Al Hosani, who revisited one of the most defining moments of his career — a match fought less than 24 hours after he received news that his brother had been martyred in Yemen.
“There is no human being who does not grieve for his brother,” Al Hosani said recalling the moment. “He is my brother — flesh and blood.”
Just three days before leaving for duty, his brother — himself a multi-sport athlete who practised jiu-jitsu, CrossFit, cycling and running — had asked him a simple question: What is your next medal? Al Hosani replied that it would be the President’s Cup. His brother told him: I want that one.
When the news arrived, Al Hosani faced a choice. “The sadness was there,” he said. “But the promise, the determination and the medal — the grief I had inside turned into strength.”
He went on to fight five consecutive bouts, winning gold at the President’s Cup at Al Jazira Club in 2017. To this day, he considers it the strongest performance of his career.
“It was the best match I have ever played,” he said.
Looking at the newly unveiled Masters Games medal, Al Hosani described it as the most beautiful he had seen. “You can feel the effort of the athletes who will compete for it,” he said. “It reflects the exhaustion, the struggle, and how hard it is to earn.”
A mother who never stepped away
Equally powerful was the story of Zaafaranah Al Hosani, a 71-year-old Emirati mother whose life has revolved around supporting her daughters — and many other athletes — in sport.
Her daughters, Maryam and Hamda, are both athletes of determination. Maryam, who has Down syndrome, is a bowling champion who has won medals in international competitions across Greece, Germany, Syria and beyond. Hamda, who has epilepsy, competes in power games and athletics and has broken national and international timings.
Zaafaranah described how her role extended far beyond parenting. “I was with them step by step,” she said. “Not just my daughters — I used to take all the girls. I would collect them by bus every day and drive them to training.”
She travelled internationally with the teams, trained alongside them when possible, and never treated her children differently from their seven siblings. “I did not separate them,” she said. “In food, clothing, sleep — they were all the same. I did not want anyone to feel broken.”
Now, she plans to take part in the Open Masters Games herself — not to compete for medals, but to walk alongside her daughters in running events. “I will walk, not run,” she said with a smile.
When asked about the medal, she described it simply as beautiful and uniquely representative of Abu Dhabi, expressing hope that one day she or her daughters might earn it.
‘My mother gave me strength’
For Hamda Al Hosani, hearing her mother speak at the ceremony was a moment of renewed motivation.
“It made me feel proud,” she said. “It gave me energy, determination and stronger resolve.”
Hamda began her sporting journey after joining Zayed Higher Organisation in 2002. Initially tested in basketball, she later discovered that athletics suited her health and abilities best. Over the years, she has achieved standout timings, including a personal best of 13 seconds in the 100 metres during a competition in Tunisia.
Now preparing for the Masters Games, she says her goal is simple: to break her own records again.
Describing the medal, Hamda said its design stood out from anything she had seen before. “It represents our heritage,” she said. “It is something different — something no one else has done.”
We expected a generic design with the logo of the competition like the other medals on display from other cities that hosted the Masters Games before; this unique detailed design was a surprise,” she added.
Cycling as a way of life
Also present was Yousef Mirza, one of the UAE’s most recognisable cycling champions, who reflected on how far the sport has come since he began cycling at the age of nine.
“At that time, hardly anyone cycled in Abu Dhabi,” he said. “There were no stars in this sport here.”
Now 38, Mirza credits the shift that began around 2017 — including the launch of professional teams, dedicated cycling infrastructure and international recognition — with transforming cycling from a niche sport into a community lifestyle.
“I wanted cycling to be more than competition and medals,” he said. “I wanted it to be accessible to everyone.”
According to Mirza, the transformation began around 2017, when professional cycling gained visibility in the UAE. He said purpose-built cycling tracks were introduced to allow people to ride away from traffic congestion, encouraging more residents to take up the sport. That momentum, he added, eventually contributed to Abu Dhabi gaining international recognition as a cycling-friendly city.
Events like the Masters Games help reinforce that culture, especially as Abu Dhabi continues to gain global recognition as a cycling-friendly city, he added.
More than a finish line
As organisers reiterated during the ceremony, the Masters Games medal is not meant to mark an ending, but a continuation — a reflection of journeys shaped by sacrifice, resilience and shared purpose.
When it is placed around athletes’ necks in February 2026, ‘the medal is meant to commemorate the athletes’ winning moments to hold onto for life’, according to event organisers.
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