Track & Field 2k21: Arab Championships, USA Trials

Anybody ever heard of the Arab Championships? Well you have now. In Rades, Tunisia, athletes competed from June 16-20.

Iraq's Danah Hussein was the oldest competitor in the 100 meters at 35 years old and she won the championship at 11.24, ahead of 25-year-old Bassant Hemida of Egypt (11.45). Hussein is a four-time Iraqi champ in the 100 meters, taking wins in 2012, 2018, 2019 and 2020. Her finish at the Arab Championships is her personal best.

Hemida has been Egypt's best sprinter over the last half decade. She has won the Egyptian national title in the 100 and 200 meters in 2016 and 2018-21. Aziza Sbaity, 29, of Lebanon finished the race at 11.68 to place third. She has won the 100 meters at Lebanon's national meet from 2017-2019.

Arab Championships 100 meters Final

Danah Hussein, Iraq, 11.24

Bassant Hemida, Egypt, 11.45

Aziza Sbaity, Lebanon, 11.68

Hajar Eddou, Morocco, 11.88

Maram Mahmoud Ahmed, Egypt, 12.03

Mudhawi Al Shammari, Kuwait, 12.15

Sara El Hachimi, Mourroco 12.21

Siba wins high jump at Arab Championships

Rhizlane Siba of Morocco took the gold in the high jump at the Arab Championships. Her jump of 1.84 bested Algeria's Yousra Araar's jump of 1.71 who finished second. Siba, 25, is one of the top high jumpers in all of Africa. She was the winner at the African Championships back when she was 18 years old. So far this year she has competed in five meets and is unbeaten, registering her career best jump of 1.86 in Rabat, Morocco.

Siba is a four time high jump national champ of Alegria. She also won a national title in the hurdles back in 2016. Egypt's Aiten Ahmed Yehia captured the bronze after also reaching the height of 1.71.

Arab Championships High Jump Final

Rhizlane Siba, Morocco, 1.84

Yousra Araar, Algeria, 1.71

Aiten Ahmed Yehia, Egypt, 1.71

Basant Mosaad Mohamed Hassan, Egypt, 1.71

Maysaa Mouawad, Lebanon, 1.68

Afaf Benhadja, Algeria, 1.68

Maryam Abdulelah, Iraq, 1.60

Harrison, McNeal, Clemons head to Olympics in 100 hurdles

Above: Kendra Harrison

So far in 2021, when Kendra Harrison finishes a 100-meter hurdles race, she doesn't lose. In nine completed attempts this year she has been a winner and that includes the finals of the United States Olympic Trials. She won the final at 12.47, qualifying for the Olympics along with second place Brianna McNeal (12.51) and Christina Clemons (12.53), who placed third.

Harrison 28, has won the last four United States championships in the 100 meters. She has also won a world indoor championship in the 60-meter hurdles in 2018.

Below: Brianna McNeal

McNeal, 29, is a gold medalist from the 2016 Olympic games where she won at 12.48. Prior to Harrison's recent run, McNeal was the leading hurdler in the nation winning US titles in 2016 and 2013 as well. She also was a world champion in the 100-meter hurdles in 2013. Thirty-one-year-old Christina Clemons has grinded her way as a pro on her way on the United States Olympic squad. In 2018 she won the silver medal at the World Indoor Championships in the 60-meter hurdles.

Below: Christina Clemons

United States Olympic Trials 100-meter Finals

Kendra Harrison, 12.47

Brianna McNeal, 12.51

Christina Clemons, 12.53

Gabriele Cunningham, 12.53

Anna Cockrell, 12.58

Tonea Marshall, 12.63

Payton Chadwick, 12.66

Alia Armstrong, 12.84

TeJyrica Robinson, 12.99

Other notes: Keturah Orji qualified for the Olympics for the second time in the triple jump. She won at the United States Olympic trials with a jump of 14.52. She looks to get a medal in this year's games after narrowly missing out with a fourth place finish at the 2016 games.

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