Qatar’s Abderrahman Samba is set to carry his nation’s hopes of securing its first medal at the Paris Olympics as he competes in the men’s 400m hurdles final on Friday at the Stade de France. The race, scheduled for 10:45 pm Doha time, presents a significant opportunity for Samba, a two-time Asian Games champion and 2019 World Championships bronze medallist, to achieve Olympic success.
Samba, who finished fifth in the same event at the Tokyo Olympics three years ago, has expressed confidence in not only reaching the final but also clinching a medal. In the semi-final, despite clipping one of the hurdles and losing some momentum, Samba managed to qualify as one of the two fastest finishers with a time of 48.20 seconds.
The 28-year-old hurdler has posted a season’s best time of 47.97 seconds and holds a personal best of 46.98 seconds. However, to realize his dream of standing on the Olympic podium, Samba will likely need to surpass these times in the final.
Reflecting on his preparation, Samba remained focused on his goal. “Good preparation for the semi-final is crucial to achieving my goal of winning a medal. I hope to achieve the desired goal,” he stated before the semi-final round.
Samba will face stiff competition in the final, which includes some of the most formidable athletes in the history of the event. Among his rivals is the world record-holder, Karsten Warholm, who set an astonishing world record of 45.94 seconds at the Tokyo Olympics. Warholm is aiming to defend his title against a field that also includes Rai Benjamin, the Tokyo silver medallist, and Alison dos Santos, the 2022 world champion and Tokyo bronze medallist.
Benjamin enters the final as the world leader with a time of 46.46 seconds, recorded at the US trials. Dos Santos, who defeated Warholm in Oslo earlier this year with a time of 46.63 seconds, is another top contender.
The final is set to be a clash of titans, as these athletes collectively hold 24 of the top 25 fastest times in history. Samba, determined and prepared, will be looking to make his mark and bring home a historic Olympic medal for Qatar.
