In the final, running in lane 6 between Norwegian Karsten Warholm and T J Holmes of the US, the 21-year-old had been gaining well when he hit the final hurdle, struggling for balance, before he had to settle for a seventh place finish.
Nonetheless, the sport that he is, Samba walked up to Warholm, Turkey’s Yasmani Copello and Kerron Clement of the US after they locked the top three spots respectively to congratulate them.
“God always has plans, I first thought,” Samba said, on the sidelines of a press conference ahead of the 2018 Doha Diamond League, which takes place on Friday at the Qatar Sports Club stadium.
But perhaps, as is with every athlete, Samba played and re-played his performance in his head, and after a few days it hit him. “I could not believe it. I could have been the world champion, which was a dream for me. I had been working hard, I had many training camps. It’s not easy,” he said.
“But that maybe gave me more motivation to do better at the next opportunity. I hit the last hurdle, and missed out on a medal. But I will be fighting for the medal in the future.
“It’s time to forget that and look forward.”
‘Forward’, for now, is Friday, when Samba will be in familiar surroundings, gunning to top the season-opening Diamond League event for the second straight year.
In the last year’s edition, Samba had beaten Rio champion Clement by over a second. And coming into this year’s opening leg, he already ran a world-leading time of 47.90 at Potchefstroom in South Africa, where he was training for almost three months.
“(Running world leading time) was something amazing for me,” Samba said.
He is priming himself well for what seems like a busy schedule up ahead this year. “I have been training hard and I have big dreams (for the future). World Record in 400m hurdles (perhaps),” Samba referred to American Kevin Young’s 1992 mark of 46.78.
“This year, my goal is to fight for honours in the Diamond League, the Asian Games and the World Cup. I want to participate in all the competitions,” he said.
The plan for the Asian Games, he said, was “for sure the gold medal,” adding, “I hope I don’t get any injury, stay safe and healthy, and go step by step.”
A day before Samba’s medal miss in London, fellow Team Qatar athlete Abdalelah Haroun had notched the country’s first medal of the 2017 World Championships, a bronze in the 400m event.
He had finished behind South African Wayde van Niekerk and Steven Gardiner of Bahamas.
From thereon, Haroun has been on an impressive run of results, winning 400m gold and 4x400m relay silver at the Asian Indoor Games in Ashgabat in September, and two golds — 400m and 4x400m — at the Asian Indoors in Tehran in February this year.
“Right now the form is good. I had training camps in Brazil and Turkey. I ran 45.41 in Brazil earlier this month. It’s ok, not a bad timing to build on. I also did 200m in 21.16,” the 21-year-old said.
Haroun then had a bit of a hamstring niggle in his right leg. “It tightened up,” he explained. “But it’s ok now. I have moved to the track too now and the feeling is good.”
A motivation for the 2016 Under-20 world champion and 2016 world Indoors silver medallist is also performing in front of the home crowd.
“In front of my family and friends, I am looking forward to it. I have a feeling we will do good this season,” he said. “Gold is the target.”
Gardiner will be back in Doha to defend his crown, with Botswana’s Isaac Makwala joining the competition.
Even as the Diamond League opener is just around the corner, Haroun definitely has next year’s World Championships at home and the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo on his mind.
“It would be good to get one (gold) here, especially with the 2019 World Championships coming to Qatar. There is already some amount of nervousness because the work starts now. This year we have to work hard, focus on our dreams, and next year it’s a big chance.
“For 2019 and 2020, the preparations and pressure begin now. These are two very important years now.”
Samba and Haroun are among 16 Team Qatar athletes that will take part in the athletics extravaganza.