Doha: UAE sprint ace Omar Al Salfa faces a tough task when he enters the final of the 200m today in his quest to win an Arab Games medal for his country and qualify for the 2012 London Olympics.
Al Salfa ran 21.30 seconds in the qualifiers to take second place in his group behind Omani Barakat Al Harithi (21.27). Moroccan Aziz Ouhadi qualified fastest in 21.16.
"Omar has many achievements to boast of, but he will face today the champions of both Asia and Africa," Mohammad Mahkoum, manager of the UAE athletics team, told Gulf News.
Mahkoum should know, as he held the UAE 200m record for ten years before Al Salfa, who is due to compete at 5.55pm today, bettered his mark.
"Omar has won a gold and a bronze medal in the Asian Athletics Championships," Mahkoum said.
"In Japan earlier this year, he won a bronze. But he will face Seon Ogunode, from Qatar, who won the gold in that championship, in addition to the best sprinters from Asia and Africa.
"It is a multiple task race as they will compete for winning medals for their country, the cash prizes and to qualify for the London Olympic Games."
5,000 metres
Behlhem Belayneh, who won a bronze for the UAE in the women's 1,500m last week, will enter the 5,000m race tonight, along with her compatriot Alia Saeed, kept from taking part in the 1,500m by injury, but ready to compensate tonight.
Also tonight, Mohammad Ahmad will represent the UAE in the men's shot put.
"All our athletes are determined to do their best and I believe that their best will be good [enough] for winning medals." Mahkoum said.
Meanwhile, Ebrahim Abdul Malek Mohammad, Secretary General of the General Authority of Youth and Sports Welfare, expressed his pride at the achievements of the UAE athletes in Doha — the women in particular.
"We are happy and satisfied with the harvest of medals achieved by our athletes in the Games so far and we are looking forward to more medals in the remaining competitions." Malek told Gulf News yesterday.
"I'm pleased to say that I am particularly proud of the achievements of our women athletes in these Games."
Double trap: medal mistake
The Local Organising Committee of the 12th Arab Games system of information made a mistake on Friday when recording the results of the Double Trap shooting individual competition, giving Shaikh Juma Bin Dalmook the bronze medal won by his team mate Saif Al Shamsi.
The official records showed the mistake after the winners of the three medals were announced. It was corrected at midnight.
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