GEMS Wellington Academy – Al Khail student Hussein Shawky has made UAE sporting history by becoming the first-ever gold medal winner for the country's swim team at the Asian Youth Games.

The 17-year-old clinched victory in the 50m butterfly race at the third edition of the Games, held in Bahrain, and set a new record for the event.

Hussein, an Egyptian national and a scholarship Year 13 student, has been attending GEMS Wellington Academy – Al Khail since 2019 after transferring from another GEMS school to join the GEMS Swimming Centre of Excellence.

The Centre, operated in partnership with Hamilton Aquatics, provides elite-level coaching and tailored academic support to help student athletes reach their highest potential in the pool as well as in the classroom.

Hussein started swimming competitively with Hamilton Aquatics in their development pathway back in 2015 and went through all the performance pathway squads. After representing Egypt in many international tournaments, he became eligible to race as part of the UAE national team in 2024, with which he competed this summer in the 4^th Arab Aquatics Championships in Morocco.

“It feels incredible to represent the UAE and to bring home the country's first gold in swimming," said Hussein.

"I'm grateful to my coaches, teachers, and everyone who believed in me and gave me the opportunity to chase my dream.”

The rising star, who earned two medals in his age group and set a new Arab record in 50m freestyle, will continue his swimming journey in the USA next year with one of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division 1 university swimming teams.

“We are immensely proud of Hussein's outstanding achievement, which is a testament to his dedication, resilience, and passion for swimming," said Joanne Hearty - Wellington Cluster Director of Sport.

"At GEMS, we are deeply committed to empowering young athletes to excel in academics and sports through platforms like the Swimming Centre of Excellence. Hussein's success is a reflection of what can be accomplished when world-class education meets top-notch training.”

This historic win not only places Hussein among the region's top youth swimmers but also highlights the growing role of UAE-based schools in contributing to the country's sporting success on the international stage.

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