What it takes to be the fastest man in Oman

TITASH CHAKRABORTY -

Born in Ibra, Barakat al Harthy is not only a celebrated athlete with a shining track record but also a humble man with simple beginnings.

Although currently referred to as the fastest man in Oman and the region and the third fastest man in Asia, he remained grounded and modest but always dreaming to achieve even more in his career as a runner.

“I am an average individual who has worked hard to get to where I am today. Starting from my humble beginnings, I learned early on not to take things for granted and that if I wanted to get anywhere in life, I needed to depend on myself first, and work twice as hard to be better than anyone else,” he shared.

Al Harthy’s career as an athlete started in school but instead of running, he had his sights set on football. Growing up, he was inspired by superstar footballers, wishing to be like them. However, his young dreams were sidetracked by an injury.

Maybe a blessing in disguise, Al Harthy’s teachers saw a lot of potential in him and selected him to participate in a running championship against other schools in the country, where he won first place for the 100 m and 200m races.

That was the moment it all started. Not long after, he was drafted into the national running team to represent Oman in a GCC regional championship, where he also won first place in the relay.

From there, Al Harthy was taken under the Oman Athlete Association’s wing and coached to become the athlete that we know and admire today.

He shared, “My dreams of being on posters and screens did also come true thanks to Ooredoo. I was selected in 2018 to be their ambassador for their fastest mobile network campaign which was launched in celebration of them being awarded Ooka’s fastest mobile network in Oman, in their Speedtest awards.”

We chatted with Barakat and asked him a series of questions the answers we hope would inspire the future generation of athletes coming from Oman.

So far, what would you consider to be your career high? And what would you say is your career low?

Looking back, the high of my career must be the two times I was qualified to represent Oman in the 2012 Summer Olympics in London and the 2014 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Another highlight of my career was also winning a Bronze medal for Oman in the Asian Athletics Championship. As for the low, it was the time I was qualified for the World Championships, although I was not able to take part due to an injury. It was very difficult for me to accept this loss knowing that had I been in better shape I would have been able to achieve something great.

How do you feel when people refer to you as the fastest man in Oman? Does the title come with pressure and how are you handling this pressure?

Yes, of course, it does put pressure on me, but it’s the kind of pressure that comes from being honored with such a title. I did not become the fastest man in Oman and the region, as well as the third fastest man in Asia easily. It took a lot of training, commitment and perseverance to be able to claim such titles. Today, I am proud of my achievements and am driven to do more and represent my country in global arenas.

What is the day like when you are preparing for a race?

As a professional athlete, my day has to be planned and organized. I start by doing a two or three-hour fitness training session in the morning, followed by an intense four-hour training stint with my coach in the afternoon. If I am preparing for a championship, then my training is increased to three times a day as I also include a session in the gym.

With all of that, I always make sure I make time to spend with my family and friends. I truly value these relationships and make them part of my day, no matter what.

When it comes to career, what is the ultimate dream for you?

To bring back an Olympic medal, or if not me, then to see an Omani athlete bring one home for our country. I am very hopeful and have promised myself that if I qualify again, that I will do my level best to see this dream become a reality.

What’s the greatest piece of advice someone has given to you? And what’s the advice you’d give to other athletes in the country who’d like to follow in your footsteps?

The best advice I ever got was “practice makes perfect” and this is something I live my life by, personally and professionally. I believe if you want to excel then you need to continuously work hard. My advice to other athletes’ is — don’t think that reaching your goals is easy. Becoming successful is a long journey that you will need to commit to in order to reap results. The best example I can give is myself; I started my career as a runner in 2005, but I only started achieving record times in 2013. I had to be patient and really work hard to reach where I am today.