Saudis look to the track for medal success

Saudi Arabia is banking on its strong athletics squad to bring home a clutch of medals from the 16th Asian Games. But surprisingly, the desert kingdom is again not sending a soccer team for a competition it would have had a good chance of winning, albeit up against the likes of Japan, Iran, China, the Republic of Korea (ROK) and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

Hussain al-Sabee of Saudi Arabia competes in the men's long jump at the ISTAF Golden League athletics meeting at the Olympic Stadium in Berlin on June 1, 2008. [Photo/Agencies]

The Asian Cup soccer tournament starts in Qatar in January and it is thought the squad is being saved in a bid to go one better than losing in the final to Iraq four years ago.

At the last Asian Games in Qatar four years ago, Saudi Arabia ranked 13th, with 14 medals, eight gold and six bronze, two places down on its showing at the 2002 Busan Games (seven gold, one silver and one bronze medals).

In Doha, it was in track and field that the Saudi squad continued its Busan form, snagging five gold and two bronze medals.

The golds came from Yahya Habeeb (100m), Hamdan al-Bishi (400m), Sultan al-Hebshi (shot put), Hussain al-Sabee (long jump) and the men's 4x400m relay, with bronzes going to Sultan al-Dawoodi (discus) and Ahmed Faiz bin Marzouq (long jump).

Sabee, Asia's No 1 long jumper with a personal best of 8.35 meters, is hunting an unprecedented hat-trick of golds in his event, but has jumped a best of only 7.94m this season.

"The pressure will be on me to live up to my No 1 tag in Guangzhou," the 30-year-old said. "However, I hope to become the first athlete to win the long jump gold medal at three consecutive games."

Saudi Arabia is also making solid progress in weightlifting and swimming, and is expected to push for podium places in equestrian endurance and dressage events.

The Asian Games, however, will act as a crucial stepping stone towards the 2012 London Olympic Games.

The Saudi Arabian Olympic Committee least year announced its 'Saudi Olympic Falcon Program' with the aim of forging a strategy to ensure medal success in London.

The committee named TSE Consulting, headed by Steve Roush - the former chief of sports performance at the US Olympic Committee - as the body to handle pre-Games training programs.

"Preparations for London 2012 have already started, but the emphasis will be placed on ensuring that Saudi Arabia's sporting representatives are well prepared and focused for qualifying events and major sporting meetings such as the 16th Asian Games Guangzhou 2010," it said.