“This is the beginning, the first step.” With high self-confidence, Hussain Asem Al Khizam spoke about his first participation in the World Championships in Athletics in Eugene, USA, promising to “fly high in the near future.”
Al Hizam, 24, finished eighth in the first group qualification, in which he competed alongside Swede Armand “Mundo” Duplantis, Olympic champion and world record holder in the competition, and American Christopher Nielsen, who finished second. , 5.75 m.
He said, “This is a good start, a first step. This is my first world championship in the senior category, and next year there will be a world championship indoors and outdoors, and I promise the Saudi and Arab fans better results and fly higher.”
He added: “I’m annoyed and not worried at the same time, the friction was very strong and I was close to reaching the final.” “This is the fruit of many years of work, and the seeds are starting to sprout, and God willing, I will make the Arabs even more proud,” he added.
Saudi athletics is renowned for its stars in the sprint, middle and long distances, and its participation as a champion in the pole vault is an exceptional case, second only to the brilliance of the vaulter Hussein Al-Sab at the beginning of the new millennium. . About this, Al Khizam, who was one of his country’s representatives at the world wedding after runner Yasmine Amr Al-Dabbagh, says: “I am lucky to be one of the exceptions in the mother of the Saudi Games and I have the opportunity to develop my talent at the highest level. and being trained by one of the best coaches in the world, I am a role model for Brad Walker.” 2007 Osaka gold medalist and 2005 Helsinki silver medalist in the pole vault.
And he added: “With the experience he gives me and our step by step planning, we will achieve our goal in the coming years and achieve achievements, as he did with several champions and champions, the latest of which is his compatriots Katie. Nugget and Sandy Morris, who won gold and silver in the competition, respectively, four days ago.”
Prince Nawaf bin Mohammed: He paid attention to him since childhood
Prince Nawaf spoke of him, saying, “It is thanks to his father for taking care of this son. He found great effectiveness in it since childhood. He caught our attention at the age of 15 and 16, breaking 5 meters. barrier. At the time, it was an Arabic number for the adult category.”
The vice-president of the International Association of Athletics Federations added: “Here we began to take care of him as a duty of our responsibility to the federation at that time, and we set our plans for his participation in the Youth Olympic Games in China, but, unfortunately, before that, he got injured and despite that he competed and finished fourth and was close to a medal.”
“We prepared him for the opportunity to go on a mission to the United States and he was accepted to the University of Kansas and excelled in the pole vault, and three years later he became a varsity champion and he became the first Saudi Arabian player to have that honor.” .
