Ali al Balushi earns spot at World Athletics in Tokyo

MUSCAT, Sept 12
Oman’s star sprinter Ali al Balushi is all set to take part in the World Athletics Championships which will begin in Tokyo on Saturday and will run until September 21. Al Balushi earned his place among the world’s best after an outstanding performance at the World Athletics Continental Tour Gold in Beijing, where he clinched gold in the men’s 100m with a new personal best of 10.09 seconds. This landmark victory secured his qualification to athletics’ premier global event.
The men’s 100m preliminary qualification round will commence on Saturday. The top two finishers from each heat, along with the next two fastest times, will advance to Round 1, which will take place later in the evening session. Al Balushi will aim to progress through the rounds with the goal of reaching the semifinals on Sunday evening, marking another major milestone in his sprinting career.
Under the guidance of his coach, Fahad al Mashakheyi, Al Balushi has been preparing intensively for the championship. Arriving in Tokyo several days before the competition, he has been undergoing training sessions in both the morning and evening to adapt to the local conditions and ensure peak readiness.
The Oman Athletics Association (OAA) delegation, led by Chairman Said al Hajri, is also in Tokyo to support the national athlete.
Al Balushi reflected on his recent victory and said: “The win in China was the result of hard work, perseverance and long preparation. It gives me great motivation heading into Tokyo, where I will push for another record achievement for Oman”.
Following the World Athletics Championships, Al Balushi will represent Oman at the 2025 Islamic Solidarity Games, to be held in Saudi Arabia from November 7 to 21. He will be joined by fellow Omani athletes, including Mulham al Balushi (100m) and the national relay team, all of whom have qualified for the event.
Al Balushi also proudly represented Oman in his Olympic debut at Paris 2024, where he competed in the men’s 100m first round at Stade de France. He delivered a strong performance, finishing sixth in his heat with a time of 10.26 seconds. The race featured some of the sport’s elite, including Great Britain’s Louie Hinchliffe, who won in 9.98 seconds, American world number one Noah Lyles (10.04 seconds) and South Africa’s Shaun Maswanganyi (10.06 seconds).