This archive report was first published on 27 June 2021.
Abdalelah Haroun, a talented Qatari sprinter, tragically lost his life in a car accident on Saturday, the global governing body of athletics announced, citing media reports.
Haroun, who was just 24 years old, had been hoping to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics this year, despite being in the midst of rehabilitation following an injury.
Born in Sudan, Haroun earned the right to represent Qatar in 2015 and went on to achieve remarkable success, including winning the Asian 400m title at the age of 18 and setting an Asian Under-20 record of 44.27.
He became the first Asian world 400m medallist in 2017, claiming the bronze medal at the World Championships in London, and is also Qatar's national record-holder with a best time of 44.07 set in 2018.
Qatar Olympic Committee President Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani paid tribute to Haroun, describing him as a 'heroic Qatari runner' who was lost in a tragic accident.
