The UAE added two more gold medals at the Asian U20 Athletics Championships in Hong Kong on Saturday, taking their total to five medals.
Maryam Karim won the women’s 400 metres final in 56.93 seconds. It was a personal best, and enough to finish ahead of runners from Chinese Taipei and Kazakhstan.
Abdulqadoos Ahmed Ali then gave the UAE a second gold of the day in the men’s 200 metres. He crossed the line in 20.85 seconds, also a personal best, despite running into a 1.6 metres-per-second headwind.
The results mean the UAE now have four gold medals and one bronze at the 22nd edition of the championships.
For Karim, the 400m win marks another step forward in a championship where the UAE team has already made a clear impression. Her time underlined her progress at junior level, while also adding to a strong week for UAE athletics.
Abdulqadoos’ 200m title followed a sharp run in difficult sprinting conditions. A headwind of that strength usually works against fast times, but he still lowered his personal best.
Major General Dr Mohammed Abdullah Al Mur, President of the UAE Athletics Federation, praised both athletes after the latest medals.
He said the results showed the team’s performances throughout the championships, with Karim’s progress in the 400m and Abdulqadoos’ speed in the 200m standing out among the UAE results in Hong Kong.
The medals add to a strong showing for the country’s next generation of track athletes, with the UAE now sitting on five medals before the end of the championships.
