Manama, Bahrain, May 24, 2021: The Bahrain Olympic Committee has announced that two of its athletes – Eunice Chumba and Birhanu Balew – have qualified for the Tokyo Olympics.
Marathon runner Chumba won her ticket by finishing third at the 2021 Milan Marathon held on May 16. Chumba finished on the podium with a time of two hours 23 minutes and 10 seconds to snatch an Olympic berth.
It was a superb effort from Chumba who not only won a coveted Olympic ticket but also bettered her personal best in the marathon of 2:24:27 set in 2017 in Rotterdam.
Her compatriot Balew clinched his Tokyo spot by setting a Bahrain national record in the 10,000 metres at the World Athletics Continental Tour Gold meeting in Ostrava, Czech Republic last Wednesday, May 19.
Balew finished second in the men’s 10,000m with a time of 27 minutes 07.49 seconds to ensure Bahrain will have six athletes in the Olympic track events.
Chumba and Balew will join the mixed 4x400m relay team.
In total Bahrain will have 21 athletes at the Olympics in three sports: six in athletics, boxer Danis Latypov in the men’s super heavyweight event, and a 14-strong men’s handball team.
