Saturday 21 / September / 2024
Muscat: Oman’s Olympic hope, Barakat Al Harthi, says he is not afraid of contracting Zika virus at the Olympic Games in Rio.
The games, to be held from August 5 this year, are just around the corner for the Sultanate’s sprinter, who is currently training hard in Bulgaria.
“I do not fear the virus. Everything is in the hands of Allah the Almighty and I am focusing on my running at the moment, with Oman in my mind.”
Over 500,000 people are expected to travel to Brazil from around the world, and experts are warning the games might create the perfect breeding ground for Zika to be spread globally.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has noted that Brazil is one of almost 60 countries that have reported continuing transmission of Zika by mosquitoes.
However, they have also released a statement saying that based on its current assessment, “cancelling or changing the location of the 2016 Olympics will not significantly alter the international spread of Zika virus.”
This came after a group of 150 doctors, scientists and bioethicists wrote a letter to the WHO calling for the Rio Olympics to be postponed or moved because of concerns of the spread of the Zika virus.
Zika is a virus that is believed to cause babies to be born with abnormally small heads and may also cause a fatal neurological syndrome in adults.
“We will be vaccinated once we go to Cuba. Our coach is a little worried about it, but God willing all will be well, and we are going for Oman,” Al Harthi said.
Al Harthi broke into the greatest sports contest on earth by winning at the Military World Games in South Korea in October last year with a 10.16 in 100 metres.
Barakat recently broke his own record in the Bulgarian city of Silven.
He brought the record down to 10.14, at an open competition which included Bulgaria’s 100 metre champion. Al Harthi managed to outsprint everyone for the first position.
“I am very happy after this and looking forward to going to Rio 2016.” Al Harthi trained at the Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex in Oman, and for a large part of his career he trained alone, until he finally found a coach- Yanko from Bulgaria.
The 27-year-old Omani is being fully funded by the Omani government for his training and his participation in the Rio Olympics.
After Bulgaria, Al Harthi will travel to Cuba for a couple weeks to acclimatize himself with Rio’s weather and humidity.
“After this we will go to Cuba to practice in the same weather, and then go to Brazil.”
His training schedule has now become severe in the run up to the games as he wants to make his country proud.
“I practice hard every morning and every evening,” added Al Harthi.
