Male, Maldives, May 21, 2024: Teenage table tennis player Fathimath Dheema Ali, who made history by becoming the first Maldivian athlete to qualify for the Olympic Games, was grandly greeted on her return home on Saturday, May 18.
Officials from the National Olympic Committee of Maldives and the government were on hand to receive the 15-year-old Dheema, who won the women’s singles in the South Asian Regional Olympics Qualification tournament in Kathmandu, Nepal last week, to book her ticket to Paris.
NOC President Mohamed Abdul Sattar was among the dignitaries who proudly welcomed Dheema at the felicitation ceremony at the Male Airport.
Dheema said: “I’m delighted and very honoured to be given this opportunity. I wouldn’t be here without the support from all of you. This is a team effort.
“I also want to thank my parents who have supported me right along, and I’m very grateful to them,” Dheema added.
