Muscat, Dec 4 - Omani athlete Hamdan al Khatri achieved a stunning result in last week’s Oman by UTMB race across 137 kilometres of the most severe and challenging mountain tracks ever attempted, and Al Khatri’s individual result of 19th placing from a field of 455 international athletes, was a genuine head turner. The modest Omani runner explained at the event prize-giving, where he topped the podium in the local athlete category, that, “It was a very difficult course, with some very steep climbs, and even the downhill runs were very challenging, I have never known anything like it for such a long run.”
Many of the competitors had commented on the mental challenges they faced throughout, and Al Khatri responded, “The challenge in my head, mentally, was okay, and being an Omani, I knew what to expect from the temperatures with the very cold nights, and the intense heat of the day, but I was able to ration my water well, and my training had prepared me as well as it could. But the course was a beast,” he said, echoing the thoughts of most competitors, “and really it was the course that was my biggest challenge. I’m very glad it’s over.”
Indicating his pleasure at representing the Sultanate on the global athletic stage, along with the other Omani finishers, he was also proud of their efforts, and even commented on those who never finished the entire event, saying that most had set themselves smaller goals within the great race, and all had performed so well.
Put to Al Khatri that his performance would probably place him among the favourites for next years race and questioned about his intentions in regard to taming ‘The Beast,’ in 2019, Al Khatri laughed aloud and was emphatic in his response. “No,” he said, “never again,” and was still chuckling as he joined his team in a muted, yet clearly satisfied celebration of their achievements, happy that the Omani colours had graced the podium in their inaugural home event.
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