Our runner Abderrahman Samba officially qualified for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics after winning the 400m hurdles held today at the Shanghai meeting, the second round of the Diamond League.
The Qatari champion took first place in the race, producing the best mark in the world this year and a new meeting record for Shanghai of 47.27 seconds.
Samba became the second Qatari national team athlete to qualify for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, after teammate Abubaker Haydar qualified by finishing fourth in the 800m at the Doha meeting last week.
Abderrahman Samba finished ahead of American Rai Benjamin, who clocked 47.80 seconds, and Ireland’s Thomas Barr, who clocked 49.41 seconds.
The Qatari champion, speaking after the win, expressed his great happiness at the achievement, dedicating the win to the wise leadership, the Qatar Athletics Federation and the fans of athletics in Qatar.
Abderrahman Samba confirmed he will seek to win the Diamond League title this year, ahead of competing at the World Athletics Championships, which Qatar will host at the end of September.
