Al-Asmari sets new record on first day of Asian meet<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Clocking eight minutes, 24.08 seconds, Saad
\nShadad Al-Asmari Mozazae of Saudi Arabia yesterday broke his own
\n3,000-meter steeplechase record on the first day of the 11th
\nAsian Athletic Championships at the Senayan Madya stadium.<\/p>\n
His previous championship record was 8:32.08, which he set two
\nyears ago.<\/p>\n
\"It's an easy race,\" the 27-year-old navy sergeant commented.
\nHe added he did not have to force himself since his competitors
\nhere were relatively slow.<\/p>\n
Al-Asmari attributed his easy win to his daily stints in his
\nhometown in Abha, the southern mountainous region of Saudi Arabia
\nwith an altitude of around 2,000 m, coupled with the tough
\nmilitary life.<\/p>\n
\"I have too many races this year,\" said the bachelor, who
\nturned from volleyball to athletics in 1989. He added that he
\nwanted to take a month's rest after this meet.<\/p>\n
Up to this championship, Al-Asmari has 21 races behind him
\nwith awesome performances this year. In the world championships
\nin Gothenburg, Sweden, which concluded on Aug. 8, he clocked
\n8:12, shattering the Asian mark of 8:15.95 he set in Monaco last
\nyear, and won the bronze medal.<\/p>\n
In the Golden Four athletic meet in Zurich, Switzerland, he
\nrecorded his best time of 8.09.67 on Aug. 16 -- another new Asian
\nrecord. This means he rewrote his own Asian record within a time
\nspan of about one week.<\/p>\n
Most recently, in the Mediterranean Olympics in Rome one week
\nago, he finished 8.29 in the semifinal and clocked 8.14 in the
\nfinal, not only to win the gold medal but also to beat
\nChristopher Koskie of Kenya, silver medalist at the Gothenburg
\nmeet.<\/p>\n
For Saad Bilal of Qatar, who threw 18.87m to win the first
\ngold medal on the first day of the 11th Asian Athletic Champion
\nship, the victory came as expected.<\/p>\n
But not the throw.<\/p>\n
\"I expect gold medal in this championship rather than in the
\nrecent world championship (in Gothenburg, Sweden, which was
\nconcluded last month),\" the 183cm shot putter said in joy before
\nknowing of his less impressive victory through an Arabian inter
\npreter.<\/p>\n
\"You cannot compare the world championship to the Asian
\nchampionship. For me, the Asian championship is the first step to
\nclimb to the world championship,\" said the Qatari soldier who
\nfailed to shine in Gothenburg.<\/p>\n
The father of one-year son, who trains under Uzbekistan coach
\nKlamenko, has his eyes set on the Olympic Games in Atlanta next
\nyear.<\/p>\n
Was his failure to throw more than 19m might yesterday caused
\nby Jakarta's high humidity? The 109kg athlete refused to comment.
\n\"Please leave me alone, I don't want to say anything,\" the 23-
\nyear-old Qatari unexpectedly said in English.
\n(arf)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/al-asmari-sets-new-record-on-first-day-of-asian-meet-1447893297",
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