Omar Jouma Al-Salfa
Encyclopedia
Omar Jouma Bilal Al-Salfa, , (born 15 October 1989) is a track and field
athlete from the United Arab Emirates
who competes in sprinting events. He was a gold medallist at the 2009 Asian Athletics Championships
and represented his country at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
He made his first appearances at major competitions in 2007: he took the bronze medal
over 200 metres
at the Military World Games
in October and then came fourth at the Pan Arab Games
with a national record
-breaking run of 20.94 seconds. He turned to the indoor circuit at the start of the following season and came fourth at the 2008 Asian Indoor Athletics Championships
with a national record of 6.81 seconds for the 60 metres
. He was selected for the 2008 IAAF World Indoor Championships
and ran in the heats.
Outdoors he set a national junior record of 10.53 seconds to take the 100 metres
title at that year's Arab Junior Championships that, and also went on to win the 200 m gold medal
. At the 2008 Asian Junior Athletics Championships he took the gold in the 200 m. He reached the 200 m final at the 2008 World Junior Championships in Athletics
and gained a place on the Olympic team for the 2008 Summer Olympics
, where he competed in the heats stage of the event.
He improved his 200 m record to 20.72 seconds with a win at the Gulf Championships in May 2009. He competed at the 2009 World Championships in Athletics
and reached the quarter-finals on his debut appearance at the competition. A fourth place finish over 60 m at the 2009 Asian Indoor Games
(with a personal best of 6.72 seconds) was followed by a bronze medal with the Emirati team in the 4×400 metres relay. Al-Salfa won his first major senior title at the 2009 Asian Athletics Championships
, just dipping ahead of Shinji Takahira
of Japan
to win the Asian 200 m title. In 2010 he made his first appearance on the IAAF Diamond League
circuit running a wind-assisted 10.35 seconds in the 100 m at the Qatar Athletic Super Grand Prix
in Doha
. He claimed the 200 m bronze medal
behind Nigerian-born Femi Ogunode and Japan's Kenji Fujimitsu
at the 2010 Asian Games
.
Track and field
Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
athlete from the United Arab Emirates
United Arab Emirates
The United Arab Emirates, abbreviated as the UAE, or shortened to "the Emirates", is a state situated in the southeast of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia on the Persian Gulf, bordering Oman, and Saudi Arabia, and sharing sea borders with Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, and Iran.The UAE is a...
who competes in sprinting events. He was a gold medallist at the 2009 Asian Athletics Championships
2009 Asian Athletics Championships
The 18th Asian Athletics Championships were held in Guangzhou, China in 2009.- Track :- Field :- Track :- Field :- Medal table :-References:*. IAAF . Retrieved on 2011-07-09.*. IAAF . Retrieved on 2011-07-09....
and represented his country at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
He made his first appearances at major competitions in 2007: he took the bronze medal
Bronze medal
A bronze medal is a medal awarded to the third place finisher of contests such as the Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, etc. The practice of awarding bronze third place medals began at the 1904 Olympic Games in St...
over 200 metres
200 metres
A 200 metres race is a sprint running event. On an outdoor 400 m track, the race begins on the curve and ends on the home straight, so a combination of techniques are needed to successfully run the race. A slightly shorter race, called the stadion and run on a straight track, was the first...
at the Military World Games
Track and field at the 2007 Military World Games
At the 2007 Military World Games, the track and field events were held at the G. M. C. Balayogi Athletic Stadium in Hyderabad, India from 15 – 18 October 2007. A total of 36 events were contested, of which 22 by male and 14 by female athletes...
in October and then came fourth at the Pan Arab Games
Athletics at the 2007 Pan Arab Games
At the 2007 Pan Arab Games, the athletics events were held at the Military Academy Stadium in Cairo, Egypt from 21 to 24 November 2007. A total of 46 events were contested, of which 23 by male and 23 by female athletes. Morocco was the most successful nation in the competition, taking ten gold...
with a national record
Emirati records in athletics
The following are the national records in athletics in the United Arab Emirates maintained by United Arab Emirates Athletics Association .-Men:-Women:-Men:-Women:ht = hand timing-External links:...
-breaking run of 20.94 seconds. He turned to the indoor circuit at the start of the following season and came fourth at the 2008 Asian Indoor Athletics Championships
2008 Asian Indoor Athletics Championships
The 2008 Asian Indoor Athletics Championships was an international indoor athletics event took place in Doha, Qatar, between 14 and 16 February.-Men:-Women:-Medal table:-Participating nations:...
with a national record of 6.81 seconds for the 60 metres
60 metres
60 metres is a sprint event in track and field athletics. It is a championship event for indoor championships, normally dominated by the best outdoor 100 metres runners. At outdoor venues it is a rare distance, at least for senior athletes...
. He was selected for the 2008 IAAF World Indoor Championships
2008 IAAF World Indoor Championships
The 2008 IAAF World Indoor Championships in Athletics were held at the Luis Puig Palace in Valencia, Spain, March 7-9, 2008.-Bid:Valencia was announced the winning bidder by the IAAF on November 13, 2005 at an IAAF Council meeting in Moscow, Russia.-Men:...
and ran in the heats.
Outdoors he set a national junior record of 10.53 seconds to take the 100 metres
100 metres
The 100 metres, or 100-metre dash, is a sprint race in track and field competitions. The shortest common outdoor running distance, it is one of the most popular and prestigious events in the sport of athletics. It has been contested at the Summer Olympics since 1896...
title at that year's Arab Junior Championships that, and also went on to win the 200 m gold medal
Gold medal
A gold medal is typically the medal awarded for highest achievement in a non-military field. Its name derives from the use of at least a fraction of gold in form of plating or alloying in its manufacture...
. At the 2008 Asian Junior Athletics Championships he took the gold in the 200 m. He reached the 200 m final at the 2008 World Junior Championships in Athletics
2008 World Junior Championships in Athletics
The 2008 World Junior Championships in Athletics is the 2008 version of the World Junior Championships in Athletics. It was held in Bydgoszcz in Poland at the Zdzisław Krzyszkowiak Stadium between 8 and 13 July 2008....
and gained a place on the Olympic team for the 2008 Summer Olympics
2008 Summer Olympics
The 2008 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, was a major international multi-sport event that took place in Beijing, China, from August 8 to August 24, 2008. A total of 11,028 athletes from 204 National Olympic Committees competed in 28 sports and 302 events...
, where he competed in the heats stage of the event.
He improved his 200 m record to 20.72 seconds with a win at the Gulf Championships in May 2009. He competed at the 2009 World Championships in Athletics
2009 World Championships in Athletics
The 12th IAAF World Championships in Athletics were held in Berlin, Germany from 15–23 August 2009. The majority of events took place in the Olympiastadion, while the marathon and racewalking events started and finished at the Brandenburg Gate....
and reached the quarter-finals on his debut appearance at the competition. A fourth place finish over 60 m at the 2009 Asian Indoor Games
Indoor athletics at the 2009 Asian Indoor Games
Indoor athletics at the 2009 Asian Indoor Games was held in My Dinh Indoor Athletics Gymnasium, Hanoi, Vietnam from 31 October to 2 November 2009....
(with a personal best of 6.72 seconds) was followed by a bronze medal with the Emirati team in the 4×400 metres relay. Al-Salfa won his first major senior title at the 2009 Asian Athletics Championships
2009 Asian Athletics Championships
The 18th Asian Athletics Championships were held in Guangzhou, China in 2009.- Track :- Field :- Track :- Field :- Medal table :-References:*. IAAF . Retrieved on 2011-07-09.*. IAAF . Retrieved on 2011-07-09....
, just dipping ahead of Shinji Takahira
Shinji Takahira
is a Japanese sprinter who specialises in the 100 and 200 metres.Tsukahara competed in the 200 m at the 2004 Athens Olympics and the 2005 World Championships but failed to progress beyond the heats. He took the silver medal at the 2005 Summer Universiade...
of Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
to win the Asian 200 m title. In 2010 he made his first appearance on the IAAF Diamond League
IAAF Diamond League
The Samsung Diamond League is an annual series of track and field meetings held from 2010 onwards, beginning with the 2010 IAAF Diamond League...
circuit running a wind-assisted 10.35 seconds in the 100 m at the Qatar Athletic Super Grand Prix
Qatar Athletic Super Grand Prix
The Qatar Athletic Super Grand Prix is an annual athletics event at the Qatar SC Stadium in Doha, Qatar. Previously one of the five IAAF Super Grand Prix events, it is now part of the IAAF Diamond League. It was first organized in 1997.-Men:-Women:...
in Doha
Doha
Doha is the capital city of the state of Qatar. Located on the Persian Gulf, it had a population of 998,651 in 2008, and is also one of the municipalities of Qatar...
. He claimed the 200 m bronze medal
Bronze medal
A bronze medal is a medal awarded to the third place finisher of contests such as the Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, etc. The practice of awarding bronze third place medals began at the 1904 Olympic Games in St...
behind Nigerian-born Femi Ogunode and Japan's Kenji Fujimitsu
Kenji Fujimitsu
Kenji Fujimitsu is a Japanese sprinter who specialises in the 200 metres.-Achievements:-References:...
at the 2010 Asian Games
Athletics at the 2010 Asian Games
Athletics at the 2010 Asian Games was held in Guangzhou, China from 21 to 27 November 2010. A total of 47 events were contested, 24 by men and 23 by women - matching the Olympic athletics programme...
.
Major competition record
| 2007 | Pan Arab Games Athletics at the 2007 Pan Arab Games At the 2007 Pan Arab Games, the athletics events were held at the Military Academy Stadium in Cairo, Egypt from 21 to 24 November 2007. A total of 46 events were contested, of which 23 by male and 23 by female athletes. Morocco was the most successful nation in the competition, taking ten gold... |
Cairo, Egypt | 4th | 200 m | 20.94 Athletics at the 2007 Pan Arab Games – Results These are the official results of the athletics competition at the 2007 Pan Arab Games which took place on 21–24 November, 2007 in Cairo, Egypt.-100 meters:Heats – 21 NovemberFinal – 22 NovemberWind: +0.7 m/s-200 meters:... (NR) |
| 2008 | World Indoor Championships 2008 IAAF World Indoor Championships The 2008 IAAF World Indoor Championships in Athletics were held at the Luis Puig Palace in Valencia, Spain, March 7-9, 2008.-Bid:Valencia was announced the winning bidder by the IAAF on November 13, 2005 at an IAAF Council meeting in Moscow, Russia.-Men:... |
Valencia, Spain | 28th (h) | 60 m | 6.88 |
| World Junior Championships 2008 World Junior Championships in Athletics The 2008 World Junior Championships in Athletics is the 2008 version of the World Junior Championships in Athletics. It was held in Bydgoszcz in Poland at the Zdzisław Krzyszkowiak Stadium between 8 and 13 July 2008.... |
Bydgoszcz, Poland | 7th | 200 m | 21.10 | |
| Olympic Games Athletics at the 2008 Summer Olympics Athletics at the 2008 Summer Olympics were held during the last 10 days of the games, from August 15 to August 24, 2008, at the Beijing National Stadium. The Olympic sport of athletics is split into four distinct sets of events: track and field events, road running events, and racewalking... |
Beijing Beijing Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's... , China |
40th (h) | 200 m | 21.00 | |
| 2009 | Asian Indoor Games 2009 Asian Indoor Games The 3rd Asian Indoor Games were held in Vietnam on 30 October – 8 November, 2009.-Emblem:The logo is the logical, scientific and proper combination of the features, both strong and flexible, of the typical motifs of sports games in Vietnam like the torch, the lotus and the symbol of the... |
Hanoi Hanoi Hanoi , is the capital of Vietnam and the country's second largest city. Its population in 2009 was estimated at 2.6 million for urban districts, 6.5 million for the metropolitan jurisdiction. From 1010 until 1802, it was the most important political centre of Vietnam... , Vietnam |
4th | 60 m | 6.72 Indoor athletics at the 2009 Asian Indoor Games Indoor athletics at the 2009 Asian Indoor Games was held in My Dinh Indoor Athletics Gymnasium, Hanoi, Vietnam from 31 October to 2 November 2009.... (NR) |
| World Championships 2009 World Championships in Athletics The 12th IAAF World Championships in Athletics were held in Berlin, Germany from 15–23 August 2009. The majority of events took place in the Olympiastadion, while the marathon and racewalking events started and finished at the Brandenburg Gate.... |
Berlin Berlin Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union... , Germany |
25th (qf) | 200 m | 20.97 2009 World Championships in Athletics – Men's 200 metres The men's 200 metres at the 2009 World Championships in Athletics was held at the Olympic Stadium on August 18 and August 20.The race favourites were Tyson Gay and Usain Bolt. Gay entered the competition as the reigning world champion, championship record holder, and 200 m world leader with... |
|
| Asian Championships 2009 Asian Athletics Championships The 18th Asian Athletics Championships were held in Guangzhou, China in 2009.- Track :- Field :- Track :- Field :- Medal table :-References:*. IAAF . Retrieved on 2011-07-09.*. IAAF . Retrieved on 2011-07-09.... |
Guangzhou Guangzhou Guangzhou , known historically as Canton or Kwangchow, is the capital and largest city of the Guangdong province in the People's Republic of China. Located in southern China on the Pearl River, about north-northwest of Hong Kong, Guangzhou is a key national transportation hub and trading port... , China |
1st | 200 m | 21.07 | |
| 2010 | Asian Games Athletics at the 2010 Asian Games Athletics at the 2010 Asian Games was held in Guangzhou, China from 21 to 27 November 2010. A total of 47 events were contested, 24 by men and 23 by women - matching the Olympic athletics programme... |
Guangzhou Guangzhou Guangzhou , known historically as Canton or Kwangchow, is the capital and largest city of the Guangdong province in the People's Republic of China. Located in southern China on the Pearl River, about north-northwest of Hong Kong, Guangzhou is a key national transportation hub and trading port... , China |
3rd | 200 m | 20.83 Athletics at the 2010 Asian Games – Results The athletics competition at the 2010 Asian Games, held in Guangzhou, China from 21 to 27 November 2010, featured a total of 47 events were contested... |
| 2011 | Asian Championships 2011 Asian Athletics Championships The 19th Asian Athletics Championships were held in Kobe, Japan between July 7–10, 2011 at the Kobe Universiade Memorial Stadium. The tournament had 507 athletes from forty Asian nations competing in the 42 track and field events over the four-day competition.... |
Kobe Kobe , pronounced , is the fifth-largest city in Japan and is the capital city of Hyōgo Prefecture on the southern side of the main island of Honshū, approximately west of Osaka... , Jpan |
3rd | 200 m | 20.97 2011 Asian Athletics Championships – Men's 200 metres The men's 200 metres at the 2011 Asian Athletics Championships was held at the Kobe Universiade Memorial Stadium on 9 and 10 July.-Medalists:-Records:-Heat 1:-Heat 2:-Heat 3:-Final:... |
| World Championships 2011 World Championships in Athletics The 13th IAAF World Championships in Athletics was an international athletics competition that was held in Daegu, South Korea. It started on 27 August 2011 and finished on 4 September 2011.... |
Daegu Daegu Daegu , also known as Taegu, and officially the Daegu Metropolitan City, is a city in South Korea, the fourth largest after Seoul, Busan, and Incheon, and the third largest metropolitan area in the country with over 2.5 million residents. The city is the capital and principal city of the... , South Korea |
48th (h) | 200 m | 21.45 2011 World Championships in Athletics – Men's 200 metres The men's 200 metres at the 2011 World Championships in Athletics was held at the Olympic Stadium on September 2 and September 3. Usain Bolt, the world record holder and defending champion was the favourite going into the race with a world leading time of 19.86 seconds... |