Aspire Academy athlete Oumar Abakar will represent Qatar in the World Indoor Athletics Championships starting March 21 in Nanjing, China. Abakar qualified by breaking the Qatar national record for the 60m hurdles, and his preparation has included extensive training in South Africa. His transition from under-20 competitions highlights his growth as an elite competitor, with aspirations for future championships.
Oumar Abakar, an athlete trained at Aspire Academy, is set to represent Qatar at the World Indoor Athletics Championships commencing on March 21 in Nanjing, China. His qualification underscores the effective collaboration between Aspire Academy and the Qatar Athletics Federation, aimed at nurturing elite athletes. Abakar will compete in the 60m hurdles as Qatar’s sole representative, having recently broken the national record with a time of 7.67 seconds at the Aarhus Sprint ‘n’ Jump event, surpassing the previous record of 7.78 seconds held by Saeed Saeed al-Absi.
Since competing in Europe, Abakar and coach Lee Christopher have been training in South Africa in preparation for the championships. His recent participation in a series of European meets in late January marks a pivotal transition from under-20 competitions to senior events. Abakar’s noteworthy previous performance included achieving the sixth-fastest outdoor time for the 110m hurdles in 2024 for his age group and narrowly missing out on a medal at the World Under-20 Athletics Championships, where he finished fourth in Peru.
Transitioning to the senior ranks highlights the need for adaptation, particularly as the hurdle height increases from 99cm for under-20s to 106.7cm for seniors. Amidst these challenges, Abakar believes his height has aided his adjustment to the senior level: “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.”
He reflected on the intensity of European competitions, which bolstered his skill set and experience racing before larger audiences: “It’s not easy to be honest, to travel from country to country (in a short space of time), so this is hard for me. But racing with the big guy, as I stepped, that was exciting…”
Coach Lee Christopher is optimistic about Abakar’s ability to succeed in the senior division. He acknowledged, “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.” Christopher noted Abakar’s remarkable performances, including beating seasoned competitors, which reflect his upward trajectory in both skill and confidence.
Further discussing Abakar’s progress, Christopher affirmed his physical preparedness and psychological resilience, stating, “Not only has he stepped up physically, but his psychological preparation has really exceeded our expectations. He was so composed.” The upcoming World Indoor Championships serve as a crucial opportunity for Abakar to gain experience ahead of the Tokyo Outdoor World Championships in September. Overall, he continues to grow, learn, and improve while striving for his future goals.
In summary, Oumar Abakar’s participation in the World Indoor Athletics Championships represents both a personal milestone and a significant achievement for Qatar’s athletic development programs. His record-breaking performance and adaptation to senior competition showcase the success of Aspire Academy’s training regime, with the experienced coaching of Lee Christopher playing a vital role. As Abakar prepares for this key event, his ambitions for future championships underscore his commitment to excellence in athletics.
Original Source: www.gulf-times.com
