Sensational Samba creates new records in Rome

Doha: Qatar’s 400m hurdles specialists, Abderrahman Samba improved his world leading time with a record-setting performance to clinch victory at the Rome IAAF Diamond League yesterday.
At the Olympic Stadium in Rome yesterday, the Qatari star re-wrote the Asian record, Diamond League record and the event record with an impressive 47.48 seconds, bettering his own record of 47.57, he set in May’s Doha meeting .
Samba’s performance yesterday also erased the previous Asian record (47.53 secs) held by Hadi Soua’an Al Somaily of Saudi Arabia, established in Sydney, Australia 18 years ago.
The reigning world champion, Norway’s Karsten Warholm was placed second in yesterday’s event with a time of 47.82 secs and by doing so, he updated his own national record.
Turkey’s World Championship silver medallist Yasmani Copello was placed third (48.63 secs) in the high-profile event, which also saw the Rio Olympic gold winner Kerron Clement from the USA and the Kenyan former world champion Nicholas Bett vying for honours.
“It’s a big feeling for me to break not only my personal best but also the Asian record, the national record and the Diamond League record. I now hope every race will feel like this,” Samba said after his race.
“I say thank you to my rivals for pushing me - I told Karsten thank-you especially. We are now giving the 400m hurdles the attention it deserves,” the jubilant Qatari athlete said.
“Next, I will race in Oslo - I take every race very seriously and the big goal is always to run fast. I don’t know how fast I can run but we will see in the near future,” Samba said.
Later, Samba’s compatriot, Abdalelah Haroun secured the second position in the men’s 400 metres by pushing USA’s Fred Kerley to his limits. Kerley won with a time of 44.33 secs while Haroun finished four hundredths of a second behind him to earn Qatar’s second podium finish of the day.
USA’s Paul Dedewo was placed third with a personal best of 44.58 secs.