03 Aug 2017
Doha, 3 August 2017. Aspire Academy graduates form the backbone of the Qatari team for IAAF World Championships London 2017 that begin this weekend in the British capital. Leading the contenders for honours is silver medalist from Rio 2016 Olympic Games, high jumper Mutaz Essa who will be joined by Hammer thrower, Ashraf Elseify and Javelin thrower, Ahmed Bader.
The trio were in Rio for 2016 Olympics are set to continue participation at the highest international stage after qualifying for the world biggest athletics meeting of this year which will run from 4-13 August. Last time Mutaz competed at the same venue in London he clinched a bronze medal during London 2012 Olympic Games and enters the Championships in fine form after winning four Diamond League meetings so far this season. Mutaz is undefeated in six competitions this year, and has leapt to the world's five highest clearances of 2017, topped by a 2.38m leap in Oslo. He is among the favourites going into the competition in London.
Qatar will send a team of five athletes to the Championships and three of them are Aspire Academy graduates and this bodes well in yet another fulfilment of the Academy’s goal to develop well-educated sports champions as it aims to become the world’s leading sports academy for young athletes by 2020.