Ordos, China – July 2026
Qatar’s young athletics team delivered an impressive continental campaign at the 1st Asian U23 Athletics Championships, held in Ordos, China, from 9–12 July 2026, securing eight medals – three gold, two silver and three bronze – from 11 entries.
Qatar finished fifth among the 14 nations that won medals, with eight of the team’s 11 entries reaching the podium and every finalist finishing inside the top six.
Leading Qatar’s campaign was Zakaria El Ahlaami, who emerged as a double medallist in Ordos. He captured the gold medal in the men’s 3000m steeplechase, winning in 8:54.32, before returning to secure silver in the 1500m with a season-best performance of 3:54.11.
Hatim Ait Oulghazi added another gold for Qatar with an excellent performance in the men’s 800m, clocking a season-best 1:47.05 to take the Asian U23 title. His performance represented a significant improvement on the 1:48.48 he had recorded earlier in the season.
Qatar’s success continued in the field events as Seifeldin Abdelsalam dominated the men’s pole vault, clearing 5.45m to secure gold. His winning height put him 25 centimetres clear of the rest of the field, with no other athlete clearing higher than 5.20m.
In the men’s shot put, Djibrine Adoum Ahmat produced a strong 19.18m throw to claim the silver medal, finishing just 22 centimetres behind the champion and comfortably ahead of the bronze medallist.
One of the most encouraging performances of the championships came from Salah Nur Ismail Yunis, who claimed bronze in the men’s 100m in a new personal best of 10.23 seconds. The result represented a major improvement from his previous best of 10.37 and placed him among the leading young sprinters at the championships.
Oumar Doudai Abakar also reached the podium, securing bronze in the 110m hurdles with a season-best time of 13.56 seconds, while Qatar added another bronze medal in the men’s 4x400m relay, with the team crossing the line in 3:06.19.
Beyond the medal performances, Qatar had two additional finalists. Mahamat Abakar Abdrahman finished fifth in the 400m hurdles in 50.77 seconds, narrowly missing fourth place, while Mubarak Abdulkarim Musa placed sixth in the 400m in 47.21 seconds. Khalid Wadi Adoum also represented Qatar in the 400m, recording 47.93 seconds in qualifying.
The eight-medal haul in Ordos reflects the continued development and depth of Qatar’s emerging generation of athletes, with strong performances across middle-distance, hurdles, sprints, field events and relays. The results provide another positive milestone for Qatar Athletics as its young athletes continue their progression toward senior continental and international competition.
Event Summary – Team Qatar
Zakaria El Ahlaami – 3000m Steeplechase: 🥇 Gold – 8:54.32
Hatim Ait Oulghazi – 800m: 🥇 Gold – 1:47.05 (SB)
Seifeldin Abdelsalam – Pole Vault: 🥇 Gold – 5.45m
Zakaria El Ahlaami – 1500m: 🥈 Silver – 3:54.11 (SB)
Djibrine Adoum Ahmat – Shot Put: 🥈 Silver – 19.18m
Salah Nur Ismail Yunis – 100m: 🥉 Bronze – 10.23 (PB)
Oumar Doudai Abakar – 110m Hurdles: 🥉 Bronze – 13.56 (SB)
Qatar U23 – 4x400m Relay: 🥉 Bronze – 3:06.19
Mahamat Abakar Abdrahman – 400m Hurdles: 5th – 50.77
Mubarak Abdulkarim Musa – 400m: 6th – 47.21
Khalid Wadi Adoum – 400m: 47.93 – 11th in qualifying
Medal Total: 8 – 3 Gold · 2 Silver · 3 Bronze
