Qatar Association of Athletics Federation

Qatar's promising Moataz Issa victory received wide media coverage by IAAF and other athletics press and media, for the superb gold medal achievement he claimed during the IAAF World Junior Championship held in Canada. The young Qatari cleared 2.30m on his first attempt and with some margin to spare.

"I think when I missed at 2.26m it was the best for me, because then I started to think about what I was doing and not just running. I got into the mood and made 2.30m on my first jump,'''' he said.

"I’m not very proud of my second and third attempts at 2.32m. The first one though was very close. "I was not tired out there. I’m just happy to have won the World Juniors," he added.

Barshim,

who is also the national senior record holder at 2.31, had a clean sheet until 2.24 never withstanding the leading position in a competition in which all but two athletes were still in contention at 2.17.

The next height proved to be the turning point of the competition as Barshim and the USA’s David Smith being the only two jumpers to clear the first time of asking.

Smith and Barshim were sharing the lead and waited patiently while every other athlete in contention missed their first two attempts.

As it turned out only three men sailed over 2.21 the third time round with Naoto Tobe of Japan holding on for bronze courtesy of a clean sheet up until that point. Nikita Anishchenko of Russia paid for a first time failure at 2.17 which ultimately cost him a precious medal while Qichao Jin of China was to be fifth at 2.21 as well. Serious business started at 2.24; Barshim cleared the first time around and took sole hold of the gold medal position for the first time in the competition.

QAAF President Mr. Abdullah Al-Zini presented this achievement to His Highness the Emir and the Heir Apparent of Qatar – President of the Qatar Olympic Committee - stressing that this achievement is proof of the proper approach path trodden by QAAF based on the principle of enhancing the national teams and will strengthen this approach through the amendments made by the QAAF on the athletes and local championships regulations and giving attention and focus on the national athletes to motivate and encourage them to participate and reach the best achievements. He also thanked the QOC secretary general Sheikh Saoud Bin Abdulrahman AL-Thani. The QAAF president stressed that such result marks a possible medal in the coming Olympic Games-London 2012.

Mr. Adel Al-Baker QAAF Secretary General said that our athletes are among the best ones in the world which is an indication that the Qatari athletics is moving in the right path and we expect them to claim more achievements in the coming events. Mr. Khalifa Abdullah, director of national teams has emphasized that the results achieved in the IAAF World Juniors will help us achieve an advanced position in these competitions at the Olympic Games.

Similarly, Mr. Iesa Al-Harami (QAAF Assistant Secretary General) and Mr. Mohamed Suleiman (ex Olympian and QAAF board member) hailed this victory and assured that it will lead to more future bright results.