Barakat ends Asian gold medal drought for Oman

Date

9/29/2016 1:13:18 AM

(MENAFN- Muscat Daily)

Oman's ace sprinter Barakat al Harthi ended the sultanate's gold medal drought at the Asian level when he raced to victory in the men's 60m final at the fifth Asian Beach Games in Da Nang, Vietnam on Tuesday.

The 28 year old athlete, who was the title favourite, clocked 6.44 seconds to clinch thewin and end Oman's six-year wait for an individual gold at the Games.

It was in 2010 during the second Asian Beach Games in Muscat that Oman's Issa al Hassani had won gold in the 85kg bodybuilding event. At the same Games, Nasser al Siyabi (in lemon and peg event) and Ali al Balushi (in rings and peg event) had also won gold medals in individual tent pegging categories.

However, since the Muscat Games, Omani participants had failed to win a gold.

Barakat's nearest competitor was Iran's Reza Ghasemi, who took silver with a time of 6.55s. China's Xinyue Pan won bronze with a time of 6.77s. Barakat's teammate Yahya al Noufali finished fifth among the eight participants with a time of 6.8s.

Speaking to Muscat Daily over phone after winning the historic gold, Barakat said, 'I am very happy to have won the race. I was confident of a good show and I am proud to have got a gold at the Asian Beach Games.

'After the disappointment at the 2016 Rio Olympics (a first-round exit), I was determined to do well here. I thank my well-wishers and officials for their trust in me. This victory is dedicated to all those who have steadfastly backed me.'

Khalid al Zubair, chairman of the Oman Olympic Committee (OOC), was among the first to congratulate the sprinter. He told Muscat Daily , 'We are very proud of Barakat's achievement. It is a well-deserved win. He has worked very hard and has maintained his professionalism throughout. My congratulations to him.'

He added, 'I also congratulate the Oman Athletics Association and all those responsible for his training. Barakat is a national hero and deserves the recognition from the nation. With his personality, he is a true role model for the Omani youth.'

Taha al Kishry, OOC's secretary general, who handed over the gold medal to Barakat at the awards ceremony, said, 'We are all delighted that Barakat has claimed the title. It is the fruit of his hard work and dedication and we salute him for this feat.'

Barakat's previous achievement at the Asian level was a bronze-medal win at the 2010 Asian Games in Guangzhou, China. He was also a gold medallist at the World Military Games in South Korea in 2015.

Oman's other gold medallist at the continental event was Mohammed Amour al Malki, who had won the top prize at the 1990 Asian Games in Beijing, China and a gold medal at the 1987 Asian Athletics Championship in Singapore.

The last medal - team or individual - for Oman at the Asian Beach Games had come in 2014 in Phuket, Thailand, when the beach handball team bagged a silver.

Barakat's gold is also the first medal for Oman at the ongoing Games.

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