Kuwait City, Kuwait, May 16, 2022: Aminat Yusuf Jamal of Bahrain will go down in history as the first woman to win a gold medal at the GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) Games.
Jamal, a 400m hurdles specialist, decided on a whim to enter the women’s 100 metres hurdles at the 3rd GCC Games Kuwait 2022 and all it took was 13.68 seconds for the Nigerian-born Bahraini athlete to write her name down in posterity.
“Wow, I didn’t know this. I’m doubly pleased now, to have won the gold medal as well as to become the first woman to win gold at the Gulf Games. I’m so proud,” a joyous Jamal said after her triumphant run.
Female athletes are participating for the first time in the history of the Gulf Games, and on the opening day of action, the 100m hurdles was the first event in a packed card at the Ahmed Al-Rashdan Track and Field stadium.
“And now for the double, I’m definitely going to win the 400m hurdles gold tomorrow for that is my pet event. I took part in the 100m just for fun and to see how fast I could run. I have competitively run the 100m hurdles only three times previously, the last time at the 2018 Asian Games, and this was my personal best,” Jamal revealed.
“I’m proud to win this gold for my country. I had a bad start and only started moving after the sixth hurdle. At the end I almost tripped, but somehow managed not to fall,” smiled the 24-year-old Jamal.
Jamal had to stave off a strong challenge from Oman’s Mazoon Al Alawi who claimed the silver in 13.87, while compatriot Saleha Lahdan won the bronze in 15.47. In 2019, at the World Championships in Doha, Jamal won a bronze medal in the mixed 4x400m relay. Her other achievements at major Games include two silver medals at the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta – the 4x400m relay and the 100m hurdles.
“But now this is special – it’s not every day you become the first woman to win a gold medal at an international Games,” Jamal added.