08.08.2008
Doha hosts top Olympic athletes at IAAF Super Grand Prix
Jamaican sprinter Asafa Powell will be looking to break his own world record when he competes in the IAAF Super Grand Prix in Doha next week.
More than 100 of the world’s top athletes arrive in Qatar next week to compete in the event at the Qatar Sports Club.
Last September, Powell set a new world record time of 9.74 seconds in the 100m. He will be looking to run still faster next week when he competes against rivals Joshua Johnson of the US and Olusoji Fasuba of Nigeria in the 100m.
The IAAF Super Grand Prix in Qatar has a long tradition of producing record breaking performances. Last year, Allyson Felix of the US produced the fastest 400 metres time of the year. Felix, the current world women’s 200 metres champion, ran 50.40 seconds as she cruised through to win both the 400 and 100 metres. Felix will be competing again in the 100m and 400m this year.
Hassan Ali Bin Ali, the Chairman of the Doha 2016 Bid to host the Olympic and Paralympic Games, said: “The conditions are perfect in Doha during the Super Grand Prix for athletes to excel and to produce some of the fastest times of the year – as Allyson Felix did in last year’s competition. We are delighted to welcome all the elite athletes participating in this year’s competition and look forward to watching them compete in one of our premier athletics venues in Doha.”
The event will host 10 men’s events and nine women’s event, including the 100m, 800m, 1500m, 3000m, 3000m steeplechase, 110m hurdles, 400m hurdles, triple jump, shotput, discus, javelin and pole vault.
Several Qatari athletes who have qualified for the 2008 Olympic Games will also be competing, including Samuel Adelbari Francis (100m), Mohammed Essa M A Al-Thawadi (110m hurdles), Abubaker Ali Kamal (3000m steeplechase) and Rashid Shafi B Al-Dosari (discus).
Mr Hassan added: “I am very much looking forward to being there to cheer the athletes on. We are very proud to support our Qatari Olympic athletes in this elite athletic competition during the Olympic year. It is a great opportunity for the people of Doha to watch and cheer top Olympic athletes from around the world, competing in one of the premier competitions leading up to the XXIX Olympiad.”
Qatar is one of five cities worldwide that hosts an IAAF Super Grand Prix in addition to Lausanne, Monaco, Stockholm and 2012 Olympic Host City, London. The Qatar Athletics Super Grand Prix will be held at Suhaim Bin Hamad Stadium on 9 May.