Dubai: UAE and Asian champion Alia Saeed Mohammad set a national record in the 10,000 metres and set her sights on bigger things during her run-up to the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games.
Alia had already qualified for the Summer Olympics going into the 10,000 metres qualifying event held at the Dubai Police Officers late on Saturday. The reigning Asian champion, who had set a time of 31:51.86 minutes at the 2014 Incheon Asian Games, re-wrote the national mark at 31.09.77 and then promised she was capable of bigger things.
“I am extremely happy with the new time after shaving off more than 40 seconds from the previous mark. I think I am peaking well in time for the Olympics,” Alia told media after ending in second place behind Ethiopia’s Jemama Belayneh Objiram. Teklezgi Gotytom Gebreslase, also of Ethiopia completed the podium with a time of 31:32.38.
The top three finishers in Dubai also bettered the Qualification System and Entry Standard time of 32.15 minutes set up by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) and qualify for the 2016 Rio Games.
Alia and Desalegn have already qualified to represent the UAE at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games with Alia making the 10,000m grade and Desalegn bagging the right to compete in the 1,500 metres.
“This is just the first step for me to see if I can make the trip to Rio. There are so many top-class long distance runners in Ethiopia, and it will be my dream to see if I can make it as one of the few representing my country at the Olympics,” winner Objiram told Gulf News.
Though she makes the qualifying standard, Objiram will still have to contend against other champion runners from a country that has such high standards in distance running. “It is going to be tough to get to Rio, but that doesn’t mean I will give up. This race was ideal for me. The weather was so pleasant that I could just give off my best in the race. What I have realized today is where I stand in my preparations for Rio. I will be now turning my attention to the various meets and championships in Europe to see if I can better this timing and make the trip,” she added.
The UAE’s Betlhem Desalegn was the pacemaker entrusted with the task of going through the first half of the race in a sub-15 minute time. But the pace was so quick that Desalegn had to ease out of the race after only 2,000 metres.
Alia was appreciative of the pace set by her teammate. “I doubt we would have been able to get such improvements in our personal best times if it was not for the pace set by Betty,” Alia said.
“I have got a lot of confidence through such a quick time. I know I can do even better. The key from now on is to keep working hard on the field and then get ready to peak in time for Rio,” she added.
