Dubai: The President of the UAE Athletics Federation (UAE AF) has criticised runner Betlhem Desalegn’s disappointing showing in the 5,000m heats at the World Athletics Championships in Moscow on Wednesday.

After a poor result in the 1,500m qualifiers on Sunday — the UAE athlete was second from last in her heat and some 12 seconds outside her personal best — she was given a second chance to impress over the longer distance at the Luzhniki stadium.

But again Desalegn, who won 5,000m gold in the Asian championships in India last month, struggled. She finished eighth in the slowest of the two heats in 16 minutes 13.27 seconds, despite having set a personal best in Pune of 15:12.84. And with only the top five in each heat, plus the next five fastest runners, qualifying for Saturday’s final, she missed out by almost 30 seconds.

“I am thoroughly disappointed with this result,” UAE AF boss Ahmad Al Kamali told Gulf News.

“I really cannot give you any sort of explanation to what has just happened or the manner in which she ran the heat, especially when we all know that Betty [Desalegn] is capable of much better times.

“It was just a bad run from her. I really don’t know what to say. I just know that she is capable of much better times, and hopefully she will learn from her mistakes.

“As the UAE Athletics Federation, we have done what was possible for us. This was the first time ever that we had an athlete participate in an IAAF World Championships. Sadly, we do not have any control on what happens on the track.”

After Wednesday’s disappointment, Desalegn will now leave Moscow for her training base in Barcelona along with teammate Alia Ahmad and coach Abdi Bile. The UAE athletes’ next assignment will be in Stockholm, the 12th stop on the IAAF Diamond League circuit, on August 22, when both will participate in the 3,000 metres.

“For the time being there is nothing much we can do hanging out here in Moscow. It is better she goes back to Barcelona and continues with her preparations for upcoming competitions,” Al Kamali added.

Desalegn’s 5,000m heat was won by Kenya’s Mercy Cherono in 16:13.27, while the second heat was taken by Ethiopian Meserat Defar in 15:22.94.

The 21-year-old from the UAE was quick at the start as she led the field for the first two laps of the race, but Ethiopia’s Almaz Ayana improved on the pedestrian pace of the race, striding to the front as Desalegn fell back into fifth place.

The UAE runner managed to hold on to this position briefly, but found the pace a bit too much to handle as the race progressed.