The World Championships in Athletics, taking place today in Eugene, USA, is the first time in the history of Saudi Arabian athletics that women from Saudi Arabia are taking part.
Following the Olympics in London 2012, Rio de Janeiro 2016 and Tokyo 2020, Saudi women will record a historic presence with the participation of sprinter Yasmine Al-Dabbagh in their eighteenth edition in Eugene, Oregon from 15 to July 24th.
This is Al-Dabbagh’s second participation in international competition after the Tokyo Olympics last summer, when she competed in the 100m and exited qualifying ninth in her series with a time of 13.34 seconds before breaking her personal best by Games in the Persian Gulf. last May when she placed fifth with a time of 12.90 seconds.
Al-Dabbagh dedicated Saudi women’s presence at the Olympics as the sixth athlete to compete after runner Sarah Attar and judoka Wijdan Shahkhani who competed in the London Olympics and Attar, fencers Lubna Al-Omair, runner Karimane Abu Al-Jadael and judoka Judo Fahmy in Rio de Janeiro.
Athletics in Saudi Arabia performed well at the end of the last century and the beginning of the new millennium, in particular, runner Saad Shaddad Al-Asmari won a bronze medal in the 3000 meters steeplechase at the 1995 World Championships in Gothenburg, Sweden. Barriers at the 2000 Sydney Olympics.
Among the only three runners present at America’s World Wedding were Yasmine Amr Al-Dabbagh and pole vaulters Hussein Al Khizam and Mazen Al-Yassin, but the latter was unable to compete due to injury.
Al Hizam qualified between 32 divers and his rating until the end of the qualifying period was 29 in the qualifier list on June 26th and he put in a fantastic effort during international meetings and external competitions and showed remarkable levels that qualified him for the World Championships.
Participation by Saudi forces in previous World Championships has been limited to middle and long running, throwing, long jump and triple jump.
