Abderrahman Samba of Qatar celebrates his win in the Men’s 400m Hurdles final on the second day of the 23rd Asian Athletics Championships at Khalifa International Stadium in Doha, yesterday. Picture: Baher Amin / The Peninsula
Abderrahman Samba is hoping to cut one second from his season-opening race time this year, and if he is successful in doing that it would be a new world record.
The Qatari star is only the second athlete on planet to record a time of below 47 in 400m hurdles history, after he marked 46.98 last year.
He is chasing a 29-year-old record of American Kevin Young, who achieved a time of 46.78 in 1992 Olympics.
Samba, after clocking 47.51 to win gold for Qatar at the ongoing Asian Athletics Championships, said he aimed to cut a second.
“I started last year (2018) with a time of 47.9 and I ended the same year with 46.98. I aim the same this year – to cut a second,” said the 23-year-old.
Samba replied with a smile when he was told that if he succeeds in doing so, it would a world record.
