Qatar’s Saife Saifeldin (left) in action during 3,000m steeplechase final yesterday.
Doha: Qatari runner Saife Saifeldin extended his middle distance dominance as he secured his second gold medal at the 2018 Asian Junior Athletics Championship at the Nagaragawa Stadium in Gifu, Japan yesterday.
Saifeldin overcame a stiff competition from home hero Takumi Yoshida in the home stretch to win another gold medal for Qatar in the men’s 3,000 metres steeplechase final, the second day of the continental championship.
Saifeldin clocked 8:51.97 as silver winner finished with a time of 8:52.79. Vietnam’s Trung Cuong Nhuten clocked a personal best of 8:59.32 to book the remaining spot on the podium.
Later, in the men’s discus throw final, Moaaz Mohamed Ibrahim cleared a distance of 61.5m to win the first silver medal for Qatar. The Qatari thrower made his best effort in is third attempt, having cleared 59.66m earlier.
Iran’s Hossein Rasouli won the gold medal with a new Asian Junior Championship record of 62.29m in his final attempt. Japanese teen Kosei Yamashita secured the bronze after he cleared a distance of 56.51m, a new personal best.
On the opening day of the Championship, Saifeldin and shot putter Moaaz Ibrahim won gold medals.
Saifeldin cruised to victory in the men’s 1,500m final, with a time of 3:49.30 while Ibrahim won the men’s shot put final when he cleared a distance of 18.57m. It was also a new personal best for the Qatari youngster.
Meanwhile, in the men’s 4x100m final yesterday, Japan secured the gold medal ahead of silver winners Chinese Taipei. India won the bronze medal as team Qatar which consisted of Salim Mohamed , Bassem Mohamed Awad Hemeida, Jaber Hilal Al Mamari and Saoud Abdulaziz Al Humaidi, finished fourth with a 40.95 second mark.
Al Humaidi and compatriot Owab Barrow competed in the men’s 110m hurdles final and were placed fourth and sixth respectively. Chinese Taipei’s Hao-Hua Lu won the gold with a personal best of 13.61 seconds.
Three Qatari juniors will be seen in action today, the last day of the championship. Hemeida will compete in the men’s 400m hurdles final while Salim Mohamed will be in action in the 200m final. High jumper Nuh Abdulkadir Ibrahim Anuh will also be in contest.
