A 10-year-old from the UAE sets sail for his champion dream at the Asian Beach Games in Sanya

"My dream is to become a world champion." On April 25, after competing in the men's Optimist class sailing event at the Asian Beach Games in Sanya, south China's Hainan Province, 10-year-old Hamad Al Muhairi from the United Arab Emirates made his ambitions clear.

He is the youngest competitor at this edition of the Games.

Unlike sports that chase extreme speed, the Optimist class is considered the entry point of sailing. It also carries the strictest age requirements of any sailing event at these Games, open only to those born after Jan. 1, 2011. On the Sanya waterfront, against a backdrop of swaying coconut palms, blue waters, and open skies, it was a common sight to see young sailors around the age of 12 adjusting their own masts and pushing their boats into the sea, carrying their dreams out to the horizon.

It was a love of the sea, nurtured with the help and encouragement of his grandfather, that drew Al Muhairi to a sport where the ocean is never far away.

"(Sanya's) beaches are big and good, and the people here are nice" he said. "I am very happy to compete in such a beautiful place. I will tell my family and friends that the food here is delicious, and I will come back to this sunny city again."