CAIRO, 20 November 2007 — Saudi track star Hadi Souan was among those who attended a reception in honor of the 23 Arab Olympic track and field medalists
at the Intercontinental Hotel (City Star) on Sunday night.
“Of course we need to thank the Arab Athletics Association for this gesture to award the athletes. I’ve always wondered when will I meet them all. I really never expected it would be in this event, the timing was really a nice surprise specially that it came from within the Arab nation,” said Souan, who won the 400 meters silver medal at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, after the awarding ceremony.
Souan said he was delighted it was Prince Sultan ibn Fahd, president of Saudi Youth Welfare, who awarded him the medal.
“It is indeed a pleasure and something to be proud of that the highest leader of sports in Saudi is offering these awards to us.”
He said that hopefully now is the time the Kingdom starts reaping success after years of planning and trainings locally and abroad. “Our team has the will to achieve what I did and hopefully they would do better,” he said.
Among those present was Saudi athletics team doctor Chris Vincent, who came to witness Souan’s memorable evening. He said: “Souan had definitely earned it.” He also said the athlete has been a great friend and athlete which was the reason why Vincent continued with the team in Saudi Arabia instead of going back to his family in the States. “He is one of the best athletes I’ve been working with and resembles a true Saudi and that is what made me stay here,” said Vincent.
Former world and Olympic champion Ato Boldon of Trinidad and Tobago who is now the coach of Saudi national sprint team said, “Hadi is my old time favorite Saudi athlete.” He said Souan was always disciplined and very hard working, a thing the coach tries to build in the new athletes.
“When Souan was training in Las Angeles I saw him every single day giving his 100 percent efforts trying to make his way in training and in learning the new language. If they give me an athlete with half the determination Souan has, I’d guarantee Saudi more Olympic medals,” said Boldon.
Prince Nawaf ibn Mohammed, president of Saudi Athletics Federation, told Arab News the idea of this awarding was to honor the Arab champions. Such functions he said are a good way to add more excitement in competitions and enhance the athletes’ performance in future.
“We hope we could be an example to follow and more federations will run similar events specially at a huge event like this where many Arab champions meet under the umbrella of the Arab Sports Federation,” said the prince.
The event began with a speech from the president of the Arab Athletic Association, Sulaiman Al-Zaidi. Moroccan Nawal Al-Moutawakel, the first Arab woman to win the gold medal in the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics in the 400 meters, spoke on behalf of the honorees, who were then presented with trophies and medals by Prince Sultan. The event also witnessed the signing of contracts between Arab Athletics Association and some companies.
The 23 awardees were given recognition for the Olympic medals they won over the period of 1960 to 2004. These are: Radhi Abdulsalam (marathon), Saeed Aouita (5,000 and in 800 meters), Nawal Al-Mutawakel (400 meters), Ibrahim Bou Tayib (10,000 meters), Khaled Skah (10, 000 meters), Rasheed Al-Bassir (1,500 meters), Salah Hissou (10, 000 meters), Khaled Boulami (5,000 meters), Hisham Al-Qarouj (5,000 and 1,500 meters), Ibrahim Lahlafi (5,000 meters), Ali Zain (3,000m steeplechase), Nizha Bedwan (400m hurdles), and Hasnaa Binhassi (800 meters) from Morocco; Mohammed Ghammoudi (10,000 and 5,000 meters) from Tunisia; Hasiba Moulmarqa (1,500 meters), Nouriyh Marhah (1, 500 meters), Ali Saif (5, 000 meters), Abdulrahman Hammad (high jump), and Jaber Al-Warni (800 meters from Algeria; Ahmed Saleh (marathon) from Djibouti; Mohammed Sulaiman (1,500 meters) from (Qatar), Ghada Shuaa (heptathlon) from Syria; and Souan from Saudi Arabia.
