The man who beat him also made history

With horse racing in the family blood, it was fitting that Ahmed al-Maktoum should win the United Arab Emirates’ first ever Olympic medal at a canter on Tuesday.

But the 40-year-old shooter, who displayed a steely resolve as he blasted to the men’s double trap gold with an Olympic record-equalling score of 189 points, is no billionaire bloodstock magnate.

The gold medallist is one of many cousins of the ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Mohammed al-Maktoum, whose name is a byword in horse racing and bloodstock all over the world.

‘‘Winning a gold medal is a hell of an achievement for a small country like the UAE. Certainly, I couldn’t have asked for better,’’ he said.

Al-Maktoum was UAE squash champion from 1985 to 2000 and took up serious competition shooting only when he was 34 and unlikely to find Olympic success in any other sport.

‘‘Hunting is a tradition in our country and I started hunting when I was very young. My father tells me stories about how he used to take me hunting with him when I was four years old.’’

(Reuters)