Abubaker races into 400m semis
BAHRAIN's Abbas Abubaker shone brightest yesterday as the kingdom's national team began their participation in this year's IAAF World Youth Championships, being held on Donetsk, Ukraine, reports PATRICK SALOMON.
Abubaker, who is running in his first major event representing the kingdom, qualified for the semi-finals of the men's 400 metres and registered a new personal best in doing so.
Abubaker is one of six Bahraini athletes taking part in the meeting, which is the premier International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) competition for world athletes aged 19 years old and under.
Running in the sixth of eight heats in the first round, Abubaker was looking to claim a place on the top two. Only the two leaders from each heat, plus eight fastest losers, march through to the semi-finals.
Abubaker finished not far behind winner Martin Manley of Jamaica, who powered to first place in 47.08 seconds.
Abubaker was not far behind at the finish. The Bahraini talent clocked a mark of 47.28s as the runner-up, setting a new record for himself at the highest global stage.
Both Manley and Abubaker qualified automatically for the next stage, while Samson Nathaniel of Nigeria advanced as one of the fastest losers after finishing third in 47.90s.
Others to advance to the next phase were Batuhan Altintas of Turkey (47.50s), Haji Turie of Ethiopia (47.83s), Dimitrios Vlahas of Greece (47.92s), and Alexander Sampao of Kenya from heat one; Omeiza Akerele of Nigeria (48.89s) and Giuseppe Leonardi of Italy (48.44s) from heat two; and Ian Mutuku of Kenya (46.85s), Samuel Baird of Australia (46.97s), Kakeru Yamaki of Japan (46.99s), Warren Hazel of St Kitts and Nevis (47.23s), and Constantin Schmidt of Germany (48.28s) from heat three.
Also making it through were Kaisei Yui of Japan (47.28s), Laurin Walter from Germany (47.74s) and Jordan Jimerson from the US (48.28s) from heat four; Ryan Clark of the US (46.84s) and Mazen Al Yasen of Saudi Arabia (48.30s) from heat five; Janeko Cartwright of the Bahamas (47.25s), Mohamed Abbas of Qatar (47.45s) and Erik Martinsson of Sweden (47.70s) from heat seven; and Devaughn Baker of Jamaica (47.58s) and Jason Yaw from Guyana (48.38s) from the final heat.
Meanwhile, also yesterday, Bahrain's Mohammed Saad Ghali failed to make it past the opening round of the men's 100m.
Ghali finished fifth in his race, which was heat 11 of 12. He clocked a mark of 11.10s as he was well behind the leaders of the event. Jaalen Jones from the US won in 10.68s. Andrea Federici from Italy was the runner-up in 10.88s.
Rebound
Ghali will be hoping to bounce back when he competes in the men's 200m as well as in the men's medley relay, along with his other Bahrain team members.
The other athletes on the Bahrain team competing in Ukraine include Ali Mohammed Buhmeed (men's 400m hurdles, men's medley relay), Mohammed Alghool (men's medley relay), Mohammed Jamal Saad (men's medley relay) and Noora Salem Jassim (women's shot put).
Bahrain is taking part in the world youth championships for the fourth successive time. The 2005 edition held in Marrakesh, Morocco, was the last time any Bahraini athlete won a medal at the youth level, with three of the kingdom's youngsters stepping onto the podium in their respective events.
Belal Mansoor Ali won the men's 1,500m gold medal then, ahead of countryman Bader Khalil Bader who claimed the silver. Saleh Bakheet Marzooq then clinched a bronze medal in the men's 3,000m.
This year, a record number of more than 1,500 athletes, both men and women, representing 165 nations from all over the globe will be competing in the championships.