Aspire Academy’s Oumar Abakar will represent Qatar at the World Indoor Athletics Championships after breaking the national record in the 60m hurdles. He recently transitioned from under-20 competitions, training in South Africa alongside coach Lee Christopher. Abakar has adapted well to the senior level and aims for the World Championships in Tokyo later this year.
Oumar Abakar, an athlete trained at Aspire Academy, will represent Qatar at the World Indoor Athletics Championships in Nanjing, China, starting March 21. His qualification underscores the effective partnership between Aspire Academy and the Qatar Athletics Federation in nurturing elite athletic talent. Abakar qualified by breaking the national record for the 60m hurdles, clocking in at 7.67 seconds at the Aarhus Sprint ‘n’ Jump in January, surpassing the previous record of 7.78 seconds.
Abakar has been training in South Africa with his coach, Lee Christopher, alongside other sprinters and hurdlers. He participated in three indoor meets across Europe in late January, marking his transition from under-20 to senior level athletics. This progression follows a strong under-20 career, during which Abakar recorded the sixth-fastest outdoor time for his age in the 110m hurdles and came fourth at the World Under-20 Athletics Championships in Peru.
Transitioning to senior events, Abakar faces higher hurdles, increasing in height from 99cm for under-20 competitors to 106.7cm. Nevertheless, he reports adaptability to these changes: “The level of the hurdles hasn’t been too hard because I’m tall and so personally it doesn’t matter too much to move from junior to senior.”
Racing in Europe provided him with valuable experience, including competing in front of larger audiences and in back-to-back races. He shared, “It’s not easy to be honest, to travel from country to country… But racing with the big guys, that was exciting, and I like that challenge to be honest.”
Coach Lee Christopher will accompany Abakar to China, expressing confidence in his athlete’s readiness for senior competitions. Christopher remarked, “He is coping well with the step up to the senior men’s event. Going on his first European indoor tour and racing indoors properly was fantastic.”
Running 60m indoors is expected to enhance Abakar’s speed and preparations for outdoor competitions. Christopher highlighted that Abakar has successfully competed against seasoned athletes, which has improved his performance. He stated, “He’s worked really hard to make that step and worked hard on his technique to be able to handle it.”
Overall, Abakar’s recent experiences have contributed significantly to his psychological readiness. His future objectives include competing at the September World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, reinforcing the notion that the World Indoor Championships will serve as a pivotal step in his development.
Oumar Abakar is set to represent Qatar at the World Indoor Athletics Championships, following his record-breaking qualification in the 60m hurdles. Training diligently under Coach Lee Christopher, Abakar has adapted well to the senior level despite facing tougher competition and hurdles. His preparation in South Africa and experience competing in Europe illustrate his rapid growth as an athlete, emphasizing his potential for the upcoming World Championships in Tokyo.
Original Source: www.gulf-times.com
