Organised jointly by the Oman Athletics Association, Oman Sail and host venue OCEC, the event will go down in Oman’s sporting history as one of the most successful events to ever take place in the country.
Over the weekend of March 4-5, over 361 athletes from 46 countries took to the landscaped gardens of the Oman Convention & Exhibition Centre for the first ever World Athletics Race Walking Team Championships to be held in Oman.
Organised jointly by the Oman Athletics Association, Oman Sail and host venue OCEC, the event will go down in Oman’s sporting history as one of the most successful events to ever take place in the country.
Planned and delivered at short notice due to the impact of COVID-19 elsewhere, the Organising Committee proved their capability and the country’s readiness to host major world sporting events and liaise with global governing bodies in order to coordinate everything required for a successful event.
The potential for Oman to compete on the global stage for international events was evident with every detail considered and praise from all corners, including Lord Sebastian Coe, President of World Athletics.
Lord Sebbastian Coe said, “As President of world athletics, I know I speak on behalf of everybody in the World Athletics family when I say how delighted we are to be here in Oman for our World Race Walk Team Championships. These championships were delivered at very short notice and I know that my whole team here are incredibly grateful for the immense work that has been achieved in such a short space of time, both from the OCEC and supported by the great team at Oman Sail.”
He added, “Bringing our world championships into new territories is really important for us, we are delighted to be here, we want this to be a bridgehead for further events, particularly in track and field. We’re delighted that you have chosen us as one of the sports that you want to focus on in the Oman Sports Strategy to 2024 and that is something we cherish. We look forward to bringing more of our events here.”
Lord Sebbastian Coe said, “As President of world athletics, I know I speak on behalf of everybody in the World Athletics family when I say how delighted we are to be here in Oman for our World Race Walk Team Championships”.
Dr Khamis Al Jabri, CEO of Oman Sail, said, “It was a great honour for Oman and the city of Muscat to step in to ensure the dreams of so many athletes from around the world could be fulfilled. We appreciate the trust placed in us by World Athletics and the competitors, and hope that the experience of hosting this event will be the gateway to more high-profile events visiting our country. The team at Oman Sail, OCEC and our partners have proven themselves as highly capable hosts and Oman itself as an attractive venue for a wide variety of events. We anticipate a bright future for sport in the Sultanate.”
Sheikh Salim Al Amri, President of the Oman Athletics Association, said, “Oman has such a lot of potential to grow into a world class host of sporting events, especially in athletics. We are blessed with perfect conditions during the winter months when so many parts of the world are not conducive to outdoor events and the passion for sport runs throughout the country. It is a proud moment for the Oman Athletics Association to join with Oman Sail and OCEC to deliver such a national success. We are equally as proud to have formed a national team for what is a new athletics discipline within the country. Our hope is that this event, and the events that are sure to follow, serve as inspiration for generations of Omani athletes to compete at the highest level.”
The event also provided a huge boost to the national economy, particularly in hotel occupancy, inbound arrivals and the hospitality sector, proving the impact that hosting major events can have on all sectors.
Oman Sail, OCEC and the Oman Athletics Association prioritised sustainability and the environment during the event. The Oman Athletic Association (OAA) joined World Athletics as a signatory of the United Nations Climate Change Sports for Climate Action Framework, underscoring the sport’s commitment to the fight against climate change.
To commemorate the occasion, Coe presented Al Amri with a relay baton made of recycled aluminium and produced by World Athletics supplier Mondo noting the Oman Athletic Association’s commitment to the framework.
The OAA is the second member federation of World Athletics to sign on, following Athletics Kenya. More than 300 clubs, leagues and federations have committed to the framework since its launch in 2018. Athletes from several countries also participated in a beach clean-up to mark World Wildlife Day and World Athletics’ commitment to the UN Clean Seas pledge.
OCEC organised an orchard planting activity to offset the carbon footprint of the event. In total, 40 trees were planted throughout the complex to leave a long-lasting reminder of the importance of preserving the natural world.
Results:
10km Race Walk – Women
| 1 | Yunyan Jiang, China | 47:48 |
| 2 | Jinyan Jiang, China | 48:03 |
| 3 | Heta Veikkola, Finland | 48:11 |
All three athletes recorded season’s best times. With three athletes in the top six, China won the team title. Australia took second place in the team standings, while Spain earned bronze.
Jiang Yunyan (CHN) said, “I am really thankful for having the opportunity to take part in this race and represent my country. The course was not easy because of the hot weather, but I gave my best to finish in top position with the team.”
Jiang Jinyan (CHN) said, “We did what we have been training for, to run together and just keep following the leading athlete, before pushing for the top places.”
10km Race Walk – Men
| 1 | Hongren Wang, China | 44:06 |
| 2 | Diego Giampaolo, Italy | 44:14 |
| 3 | Yu Zeng, China | 44:14 |
Both Hongren Wang and Yu Zeng recorded season’s best times. China took team gold from Italy and Spain.
Wang Hongren (CHN), said, “Our main tactic was to follow the leading athletes during the first half of the race and keep an eye on their form, then decide if we will catch up or keep following.”
Diego Giampaolo (ITA), said, “The course was extremely hard. It was very hot. I needed two bottles of water per lap to stay cool and hydrated. When I saw two athletes getting red cards, my coach told me not to give up, and keep pushing until the end, because you may have a chance. So, as soon as the two athletes went into the penalty zone, I sprinted as much as I can. The Chinese athletes looked very tired at this stage, so I managed to get between them and finish second. I am very proud for myself and my team.”
Khalid Al Siyaby (OMA), 29th place finisher, said, “It was my first participation in an event as big as this, but I think it was a good start for me. My timing was great and I am glad that I achieved a national U20 record. I hope we can bring more attention to this sport. The course was very good. You need to put more effort going uphill, then relax going downhill. I will keep training hard and hopefully one day compete for top places with international athletes. Meanwhile, I will also be aiming to win titles at Gulf and Arab championships”.
20km Race Walk – Women
| 1 | Zhenzia Ma, China | 1:30:22 |
| 2 | Jiayu Yang, China | 1:31:54 |
| 3 | Kimberly García León, Peru | 1:32:27 |
China took team gold ahead of Greece in second and earning the silver medals, and India in the bronze position.
Ma Zhenxia (CHN), said, “I am really delighted to win my first gold medal in this competition. I was training so hard for this race. We worked very well as a team. The weather was hot, but I did my best to win.”
20km Race Walk – Men
| 1 | Toshikazu Yamanishi, Japan | 1:22:52 |
| 2 | Koki Ikeda, Japan | 1:23:29 |
| 3 | Samuel Kireri Gathimba, Kenya | 1:23:52 |
All three athletes recorded season’s best times. Ecuador took team gold, just one point ahead of Japan in second. China took the bronze medal.
35km race walk men
| 1 | Perseus Karlström, Sweden | 2:36:14 |
| 2 | Álvaro Martín, Spain | 2:36:54 |
| 3 | Miguel Ángel López, Spain | 2:37:27 |
Perseus Karlström set a new Competition Record. Spain took team gold, ahead of China and Germany.
35km race walk women
| 1 | Glenda Morejón, Ecuador | 2:48:33 |
| 2 | Maocuo Li, China | 2:50:26 |
| 3 | Katarzyna Zdziebło, Poland | 2:51:48 |
Glenda Morejón set a new Competition Record, Maocuo Li set a new National Record, and Katarzyna Zdziebło recorded a season’s best. Ecuador took team gold ahead of Spain and China.
************************************************************************
Readers
