Barakat bags bronze in Arab Athletics meet in Tunisia

Muscat, June 19

Oman’s star athlete, Barakat al Harthi, claimed bronze medal at the 22nd Arab Senior Athletics Championship (men and women) which will conclude on Sunday in Rades Stadium in Tunisia.

Barakat finished the 100 metres with a timing of 10.43 seconds and bagged the bronze medal. Qatar’s Femi Seion clinched gold medal after clocking 10.19 seconds while the silver medal went to his team-mate Toseen Joseph with a time of 10.41 seconds.

Oman’s ace long-distance runner Mohammed al Suliemani disappointed in the 1500 metre running competition as he was positioned in tenth and last place with a timing of 4”04”96. The 22nd Arab Senior Athletics Championship is a certified athletics event by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF). The Arabian event acts as the last chance for the Arab’s athletes to confirm their presence in the forthcoming 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo which will take place during July 23 until August 8 through registering the minimum desired record which is required for the Olympic Games.

Barakat was supposed to register a timing of 10.05 in 100 metres running competition to seal spot in the Olympic Games. However, he will attend in the top Olympic event through the only wild card entry in athletics and Mazoon al Alawi may not get the chance to participate in the upcoming 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games.

Morocco is topping the table order of the Arab Senior Athletics Championship as their athletes captured twelve medals including five gold, two silver and five bronze.

The hosts, Tunisia, placed as runner up with eight medals while Egypt in third position and possess twelve medals. As many as 400 athletes are taking part in the ongoing edition of championship representing 19 countries including: Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Iraq, Oman, Bahrain, Syria, Somalia, Djibouti, Yemen, Palestine, Jordan, Sudan, Bahrain, Kuwait, Egypt, Algeria, Lebanon, Comoros and the hosts Tunisia.

The only competition which is pending for Oman athletes is the relay race. The team will comprise from Barakat al Harthi, Sameer al Riyami, Rashid al Asmi and Mohammed al Saadi in the 400*100 meter distance running.

On the other hand, Oman’s delegation head Eng Yaqoob al Siyabi, chairman of Oman Athletics Association (OAA) attended the reception and dinner in honor of a delegation from the Arabian Athletics Federation and Organising Committee of Tunisia Athletics Federation.