Al-Sulemani to fly Oman’s flag in Nairobi
Oman's Mohammed Hamad Al-Sulemani during a training session on June 19, 2017 at Nyayo Stadium ahead of the World Under-18 Athletics Championships. Al-Sulemani will be taking part in 2000m Steeplechase. PHOTO | CHRIS OMOLLO |
What you need to know:
- Oman is the first country to arrive for the youth championships and will be followed by Iraq and Poland on July 1 and 4 respectively.
- The official arrival time is July 9.
Asia Under-18 2,000 metres steeplechase bronze medallist, Mohammed Hamad Al-Sulemani, will be Oman’s sole representative at the World Under-18 Championships due July 12-16 at Kasarani.
The 17-year-old steeplechaser is already in the country to acclimatise to Nairobi’s altitude and weather conditions ahead of the world youth competition.
Al-Suleimani arrived in Nairobi on Saturday alongside his coach Laid Toutache, who is an Algerian, for the championship that has so far attracted 130 countries.
Oman is the first country to arrive for the youth championships and will be followed by Iraq and Poland on July 1 and 4 respectively. The official arrival time is July 9.
“I just want to get used to the high altitude conditions before the championship and I hope the move will be beneficial,” said Oman’s Under-20 champion.
“The weather back home is pretty hot and not conducive.”
The athlete hopes to meet some of his idols in steeplechase, including his fellow countryman, World record holder Shaheed Shaheen (formerly Stephen Cherono of Kenya), Olympic champion Conseslus Kipruto and World champion Ezekiel Kemboi.
“Actually, it’s Shaheen who inspired me to take up steeplechase, dumping sprint events especially hurdles and long jump,” said Al-Sulemani after his workout on Monday evening at the Nyayo National Stadium.
Al-Suleimani, who won Oman’s cross country title in February before settling for 2,000m steeplechase bronze at Asia Youth Athletics Championships in May in Thailand, will after the Nairobi event shift focus to the Youth Olympics due August next year in Argentina.
Hassan Saad Alasdi from Iraq won the race at the Asian event, with Nguyen Trung Cung from Vietnam claiming silver.
Al-Suleiman said even though he expects stiff competition from the host nation among other African countries, there will be no love lost between him and Alasdi. “It’s time to exact my revenge against Alasdi,” declared Al-Suleiman. “It will be great beating the Kenyans at their own turf.”
“This is his first time my athlete is training at altitude and the weather looks lovely,” said Toutache. “Al-Suleimani will be so glad to meet some of Kenya’s steeplechase greats.”
