Mutaz Barshim
By Sports Reporter/Doha
The Qatar Athletics Federation and the Aspire Academy in Doha have this season proven the success of their formula for producing world-class talent through the achievements of Mutaz Barshim and Ashraf Elseify. The 2014 IAAF World Indoor Champion and the 2014 IAAF World Junior Champion respectively are both graduates of the Academy, which opened just 10 years ago.
The Centre of Sporting Excellence was established in 2004 to identify and nurture talent and develop well educated sports champions. The Academy works closely with the Qatar Athletics Federation (QAF), which is a National Partner and with which it has a Memorandum of Understanding, to ensure that every part of the athletes’ development is supported. The Academy is the second stage of the QAF’s development system following the introduction of Qatari youth to athletics through the Schools Olympic Program, formerly ‘Kids Athletics’, which in 2014 saw 26,000 school children from 461 schools taking part.
Mutaz Barshim, 23, topped off a phenomenal season with victory at the Asian Games adding to his IAAF World Indoor and IAAF Diamond Race titles. The Olympic bronze medallist last month became the second highest high jumper in history after clearing 2.43m in Brussels and was just millimetres away from breaking the world record. Already Qatar’s greatest ever athlete, he could soon become one of the greatest athletes in history.
His younger teammate, Ashraf Elseify, 19, is the Aspire Academy’s first ever junior world record holder, having won the 2012 IAAF World Junior Championships by the largest ever margin in the history of athletics when he was just 17. Shortly after graduating from the Academy in July, Elseify successfully defended his IAAF World Junior title at the 2014 Championships, as well as adding a second Asian Junior Athletics title to his ever growing collection. Speaking about the support he received from the Aspire Academy, Elseify said:
“I really enjoyed my time at the Aspire Academy and I am so grateful for the unequivocal support that I received whilst I was there. It not only helped me to become the athlete that I am today but it also taught me skills that will be helpful for life. I am a more confident, organised and well-rounded individual as a result. I feel well-equipped for the rest of my athletics career and, whilst I am sad to have left the Academy, I am excited to see what my future holds.”
Barshim and Esleify both have talented younger brothers who are also former and current students respectively of the Academy. Mutaz Barshim’s younger brother, Muamer, won his first international medal with a bronze in the high jump at the Asian Games. Ashraf Elseify’s younger brother, Ahmad, won silver in the hammer throw behind his older sibling at the 2014 Asian Junior Athletics Championships. In addition, 23 students competed in this year’s World Junior Championships or Asian Games - which saw Qatar produce its best ever athletics performance with six gold and three bronze medals. With such a plethora of talent, it is clear that Qatar has identified an incredibly successful formula for producing world-class success.
The Aspire Academy’s philosophy centres on providing its student-athletes with world class coaching and sports science support alongside an accredited academic program. The Academy is based within Doha’s Aspire Dome and the students have access to its world-class facilities, as well as world-leading sports-medicine care at Aspetar, expert sports science support and full-time highly accomplished coaching staff, including John Nuttall, a former coach to Mo Farah. The Academy also prides itself on its academic programme and has been a member of the Council of International Schools (CIS) since 2013. A large majority of the Academy’s graduates have gone on to University education.
Secretary General of the Qatar Olympic Committee, Sheikh Saoud bin Abdulrahman al-Thani, said:
“The Aspire Academy is an important part of Qatar’s sport development pathway. Our federations work together with the Academy to identify talented athletes in local schools, who are then provided with sports training and education in an exceptional learning and sporting environment. We are very proud of the success of Qatar’s athletes at this year’s Asian Games. The achievements of all the Academy’s current students and graduates is proof that our methods are working and we are absolutely delighted by the number of talented athletes that are emerging. These athletes are role models to the youth of Qatar and show what can be achieved through hard work and dedication.”
The Academy is a shining example of Qatar’s ability to develop sport through sporting innovation, as well as its commitment to supporting its athletes as they make their way up the sporting pathway. By 2020 it aims to be recognised as the world’s leading sports academy in the development of youth athletes. The year before that, Doha is hoping to host the 2019 IAAF World Championships and submitted its official Candidate File to the IAAF on September 25th. Doha 2019 believes that hosting the World Championships will be a catalyst for increased participation in athletics and will assist with the development of athletics at all levels both in the lead up to and in the years after the event. With talented athletes already coming through the system, 2019 could provide the opportunity for local athletes to shine and inspire further world class success, ensuring a long-lasting athletics legacy in Qatar and across the whole of the Middle East,” Dahlan al-Hamad, President of the Qatar Athletics Federation, said.
In addition to athletics, the Aspire Academy has students enrolled in 11 other sports, including Squash, Table Tennis, Football, Fencing, Swimming and Shooting. Over 200 students have graduated through the Academy since 2008, with other notable alumni being Abdullah al-Tamimi, the world number 1 ranked junior squash player in 2013 and Tamim Mohamed Issa al-Muhaza, a member of Atletico Madrid’s youth team.
