Hangzhou, China, October 3, 2023: Showman Abderrahman Samba Alsaleck, sartorially splendid in dark shades, gave Qatar its second gold medal on the track when he won the men’s 400 metres hurdles at the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou.
Looking every bit a gangsta rapper with his dark glasses, Samba left everyone in the shade as he led Qatar to a 1-2 finish with compatriot Bassem Hemeida taking the silver medal.
Samba ran his best race this season to finish first in 48.04 seconds. It was Qatar’s second gold on the track following Mohamad Al-Garni’s triumph in the men’s 1500m last Sunday. Hemeida took the silver in 48.52 while China’s Xie Zhiyu ran 49.16 for bronze.
“It’s all a show. You need to be looking good and that is what it’s all about,” Samba said. Indeed, he looked good as he breezed to an easy win and celebrated with an extravagant victory salute as he crossed the line.
Samba was pleased to have defended the gold medal he won five years ago at the Jakarta Games and is hopeful the win will give him impetus as he looks ahead to the 2024 Paris Olympics.
“I have been away from the track for a long time and I’m very happy to have won tonight. This race is going to give me a lot of confidence going forward. I’m also pleased that Bassem won the silver. It makes this extra special as we now have two medals for Qatar,” Samba added.
*In the women’s 400m hurdles, Oluwakemi Mujidat Adekoya of Bahrain claimed her third gold medal of the Hangzhou Asian Games when she blitzed the field.
Adekoya, 30, set a new Games record of 54.45 seconds to complete a hat-trick of gold medals in Hangzhou having previously won the women’s 400m and 4x400m mixed relay. She is still not done with these Games.
“One more tomorrow, we are going for gold tomorrow. I will stay focused,” said Adeokya, referring to the women’s 4x400m relay where Bahrain will start as favourites.
The Nigerian-born Adekoya was delighted to set a new Games mark, breaking her own record of 55.09 set at the 2014 Incheon Games. “I wanted a gold medal as well as a new record. It’s great to have accomplished both. My focus tonight was 53 seconds, but I couldn’t manage it. I have run too many races already, and have one more tomorrow. But it’s OK,” Adekoya said.
It seems applying the Chinese medicated Tiger Balm before a race seems to have had a wondrous effect on her. “It makes me feel warm. I rub it on my nose, my hamstring and quads. But I will have to work on my recovery and go to sleep early tonight for there is one more gold to win,” Adekoya added.
China’s Mo Jiadie took the silver in 55.01 while Indian Vithya Ramraj finished in 55.68 for bronze.
