Saudi sprinter Sarah Al-Ablan targets Olympic dream after rapid rise in athletics

ALKHOBAR: Sarah Al-Ablan had never trained in athletics when she lined up for her first 100-meter race in Riyadh in 2023.

The King Faisal University student had been passionate about sport since 2020, but it was one of her university instructors who noticed her athletic ability at the gym and encouraged her to enter a university competition.

She finished the 100 meters in 14.97 seconds — a result that convinced her there might be more to pursue.

“That number was incredible for someone who had never trained in athletics and didn’t know any running techniques,” the 21-year-old told Arab News.

“At first, it was just a sport I practiced and I didn’t work on it seriously, but over time I started achieving good results and those around me noticed my potential in sprint races.”

That encouragement led Al-Ablan to take her first serious step into athletics by joining Al-Adalah Club. Her coach immediately saw potential in the inexperienced runner.

“The first thing my coach said was: ‘Sarah, you are a talent, not an athlete. I’m starting with you from zero.’”

Al-Ablan, now a track and field athlete with Al-Adalah Club and the Saudi national team, initially focused on sprinting. Her eventual move into the 400 meters, however, happened entirely by accident.

A registration error entered her into the event at a competition. She had never run a full lap of the track before and initially complained about having to race, particularly as she was unwell at the time.

Then she finished third.

“The first result was shocking — I came third,” she said. “And from there began my love story with the 400 meters, the killer of women and men.”

What started accidentally has since become one of Al-Ablan’s strongest events.

After finishing