Ogunode to lead Qatar’s Challenge at Asian Athletics Championships

DOHA: Sprint king Femi Seun Ogunode will lead Qatar’s challenge at the 22nd Asian Athletics Championships to be held at Kalinga Stadium, Bhubaneswar, India, from July 6.

More than 650 athletes from across the Asian continent are contesting in 42 track and field events in the four-day meet.

Twenty-six-year-old Ogunode is the defending champion in 100 and 200M and looks the favourite this year as well even though Kemarley Brown and Andrew Fisher of Bahrain, in 100M, and their compatriot Mohamed Yacoub Salem, in the longer version, are expected to mount stiff challenges.

Steeplechaser Hashim Salah Mohamed, middle-distance runner Jamal Hairane and ever improving Ashraf Amgad Elseify in hammer throw and Ahmed Bedir Magour in javelin are some of the other top medal contenders for Qatar.

Hashim, the silver medallist in the last edition of the Asian Athletics Championships in Wuhan, China, would be hoping to better his 2015 performance.

Hairane, who won silver in 800M at the Asian Indoor Championships in Doha last year, is equally strong in 1500M.

Qatar also field a host of promising youngsters, including 17-year-old Moaaz Mohamed who competes in discus throw.

Even though their most celebrated athlete Mutaz Essa Barshim is busy with his preparations for the August 4 to 13 World Championships in London, Qatar, who finished overall second in Wuhan with 10 medals including seven gold and two silver, would be hoping to better that show.

And with the winners gaining automatic qualification for the World Championships, sparks are sure to fly in Bhubaneswar.