Tomorrow the competition begins .. four gold medals to be awarded
With God’s blessing, the toughest competition among the champions begins on Thursday, with numerous track and field races and events for men and women, including the award of four gold medals during the evening session. Competition begins at 10:30 am local time in Portland, USA (9:30 pm Doha time), as follows.
Morning session – (women’s 60m pentathlon, women’s 60m hurdles, men’s 60m heptathlon, men’s 400m first round, women’s pentathlon high jump, men’s heptathlon high jump, women’s 400m heats, men’s 3000m heats, women’s 1500m heats, men’s 800m heats, men’s 60m heats, men’s heptathlon shot put) – second, the evening session, starting at 5:15 pm Portland time, around 4:15 am Doha time, as follows: men’s heptathlon shot put, women’s pentathlon long jump, women’s 60m hurdles semi-final, men’s 60m semi-final, women’s 3000m heats, men’s heptathlon high jump, (men’s shot put final), (women’s long jump final), men’s 1500m heats, women’s 400m semi-final, men’s 400m semi-final, (women’s 60m hurdles final), (men’s 60m final).
Portland dresses up for the event
The hospitable city of Portland has put on its finest colours, decked out with flags, welcome banners and promotional campaigns on the city’s trains, buses and main streets, in readiness to host the world’s champions from every corner of the globe – ambassadors of 148 countries, 547 individuals, 299 male and 148 female athletes. The beautiful American city is filled with excitement and joy to welcome the athletes and has mobilised all its energy and capabilities to present the challenge at a standard worthy of its reputation, especially as the famous city is considered the capital of American track and field and will host the World Athletics Championships outdoors in 2021.
Attractive prize money
The IAAF has allocated valuable prize money for the champions who win the gold medals and for those finishing from first to sixth place, as follows: first place ($40,000), second ($20,000), third ($10,000), fourth ($8,000), fifth ($6,000), sixth ($4,000). Relay teams (men’s and women’s 4x100m/4x400m) finishing from first to sixth place will receive the same prize money: first place ($40,000), second ($20,000), third ($10,000), fourth ($8,000), fifth ($6,000), sixth ($4,000).
$50,000 for a world record
The IAAF has allocated a valuable bonus for any champion, male or female, capable of breaking a world indoor record, worth $50,000, plus $40,000 for first place, totalling $90,000.
Our national team’s champions begin their campaign on Friday, with sprinter Abdalelah Haroun in the 400m heats at 10:30 am local time in Portland (9:30 pm Doha time). Should he qualify for the semi-final, Haroun will race at 6:45 am on Saturday, March 19. Our world champion Mutaz Barshim will contest the high jump final at 5:22 am, while the 800m final will be held at 5:35 am.
Glimpses of the World Indoor Championships
Portland, located in the American northwest, is experiencing turbulent, rainy and cold weather, with temperatures ranging between 4 and 8 degrees, as rain showers continue throughout the day and the sun barely appears through the dark, cloud-covered sky.
The city, capital of the American state of Oregon, is covered in stunning green nature, and its people are a mix of American immigrants from every corner of the globe, living together in harmony and warmth.
The city of Portland is prosperous and wealthy compared with the rest of the American states, its markets bustling with shoppers, luxury cars filling its streets, and its economy relying on giant global companies across every field of trade and investment on its vast lands, most notably the sporting goods giant Nike, from which Portland enjoys abundant prosperity.
The state of Oregon and the city of Portland are among the most famous American cities that love track and field, hosting numerous international championships in the sport, and their universities are favoured by champions aspiring to enter the world of track and field stardom.
The Convention Center hosting the event is the largest multi-purpose venue for organising international conferences and celebrations, and the organisers worked hard to prepare it in a short time following the conclusion of the US Indoor Championships, which served as a dress rehearsal for the World Indoor Championships, and it is now in its best condition ahead of today’s start.
Ideal, meticulous and excellent organisation characterises the World Indoor Athletics Championships – Portland 2016, as the organising committee has mobilised its best staff to bring the championship to a standard befitting the status and reputation of the famous city, especially as it prepares to organise the challenge of the biggest outdoor World Championships in 2021, after Qatar hosts the World Championships in 2019, and before that London in 2017.
