Qatar runners dominate GCC cross country event

Dubai: Qatar dominated the GCC cross country championships held yesterday at the Al Safa Park in Dubai. They won the first place with 10 medals (four gold, four silver and two bronze medals).

The Qataris who had a clean slate in the last championships held in Doha 2003 by winning all categories, yesterday lost the Youth U-17 gold medal to Bahrain.

Hosts UAE came fourth in the medals standing with two medals one silver in the men team's and one bronze in the Youth U-19 teams.

Bahrain was second with two gold medals. Oman came third with three medals one silver in the youth U-19 teams and two bronze (one in the men teams and the other in the youth U-17 teams).

The races were held in three categories inside the Al Safa Park on round tracks with all the GCC countries taking part.

Only Saudi Arabia and Kuwait didn't take part in the men and Youth Under 19. Qatar, Bahrain, Oman and UAE took part in the three categories (men, Youth Under 19 and Youth Under 17).

The championships was attended and inaugurated by Shaikh Saeed Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum.

Lamine Diack President of the International Athletics Amateur Federation (IAAF), Nawal Al Motawakil, International Olympic Committee member, Sultan Saqr Al Suwaidi, secretary- general of the General Authority of Youth and Sports Welfare, Major General Mohammad Hilal Al Qaabi, Chairman of the UAE Athletics Federation, Dahlan Al Hamad, member IAAF and head of the delegations of the GCC countries, and UAE AF officials also attended the opening ceremony and presented medals to the winners.

Qatar won all the top five spots in the men's category over 12 kilometres. Ali Dawood won gold in 35:31 minutes, second was Ahmad Juma 35:59 and third was Juma Omar 36:10.

Qatar won the team gold with 10 points, UAE second with 36 points and Oman third with 47 points.

UAE's best runners among the men were Ayoub Hussain who finished sixth, Saif Hamad eighth and Badr Salim tenth.

Qatar also dominated the Youth Under 19 (distance 8 kilometres).

Eisa Esmail took the gold with 23:20 minutes, Naser Shams won silver in 23:50 minutes and Musstafa Ahmad bronze in 24:03 minutes.

UAE's best runner in the Under 19 was Ali Al Boloushy who finished eighth in 27:22 minutes.

In the team event, Qatar was first with 10 points, Oman came second with 34 points and UAE third with 51 points.

Bahrain won gold in the Youth Under 17 (distance 5 km). Saleh Marzouq won gold (13:51 minutes), Tamir Kamal of Qatar won silver (13,52 minute) and Adam Esmail took bronze (14:32 minutes). Bahrain also won gold in the team event with 15 points, Qatar second 29 and Oman third with 42 points.