For four years UAE’s Mohamed Al Hammadi had been trying to figure out a way to beat Tunisian Walid Ktila.
In the world of wheelchair racing, Ktila was an unbeatable, dominant force, standing between Al Hammadi and the top of the podium at virtually every single major meet.
At the London 2012 Olympics, Ktila pulled off the T34 100m and 200m double, with Al Hammadi taking bronze in the 100, and silver in the 200.
At Worlds in 2013 in Lyon, Ktila swept the 100m, 200m, 400m and 800m, as Al Hammadi settled for 800m silver and 400m bronze.
The Tunisian defended all four golds at the World Championships in Doha last year, again committing Al Hammadi to lower steps on the podium.
The situation was no different throughout each season, where the North African would always edge the Emirati at any Grand Prix they collided in.
For someone as fiercely competitive as Al Hammadi, constantly watching Ktila whizz past him was a tough pill to swallow.
In Rio, the 29-year-old Sharjah native finally turned the tables on Ktila and came out on top, taking a historic gold in the 800m, and smashing the Paralympic record twice en route.
It was the UAE’s first Paralympic gold in athletics and a long overdue triumph for Al Hammadi over his talismanic rival.
“What happened did not come out of nowhere… I spent so many years competing and working so hard,” an emotional Al Hammadi told Sport360°.
“After so many years trying to beat Ktila – an athlete who is incredibly strong – I have been doing everything trying to find a way to beat him. It hasn’t been easy.
“The last few metres were unbelievably tough and when I finally beat him, it was such an incredible feeling, it’s just indescribable.
“To claim the first ever athletics gold medal in the UAE’s history at the Paralympics… To set a new Paralympics record in qualification and then smashing it again in the final…
“I promised the UAE that I will break the record and get the gold medal and I have fulfilled both promises.”
Fierce rivals: Al Hammadi (l) and Ktila.
The look of disbelief on Al Hammadi’s face when he crossed the finish line said it all. And he was in tears when he listened to the UAE national anthem during the medal ceremony.
In London, the Paralympic Committee had opted to include the 100m and 200m events in the T34 category but in Rio, organisers decided to shake things up by offering the 100m and 800m.
Al Hammadi knew that the 800m would provide the best opportunity to try and beat Ktila. The Emirati was better in the middle distances than the sprints and the 800 was the only race in which Ktila did not hold the world record.
Ktila had stormed to gold in the 100m last Monday in Rio, while Al Hammadi missed out on the podium, placing fourth in the final.
Al Hammadi refused to let that distract him from his 800m target two days later though.
“I was always focused on the 800, more than the 100,” he admits. “I entered the 100 to compete but I had my eyes on gold for the 800. I didn’t let the 100 disappointment get to me. I wanted to challenge myself and it really motivated me.”
Al Hammadi says he was positive throughout his preparation period and had a plan.
“I was so determined to beat Ktila. The Paralympic record was under his name, so I had to get to his time to try and beat him. That was the goal, to just be able to smash that time. Once I realised I was capable of doing that, I got myself in a very optimistic frame of mind and I was really betting on myself to get that 800m gold.”
Asked if he already has his eyes on Tokyo 2020, Al Hammadi gave a sarcastic laugh and said: “Let me celebrate this huge achievement first. It’s my first gold and I plan on enjoying it. I will decide on Japan later.”
The UAE took a massive step forward in Rio, capturing a record medal haul, sending a record number of athletes, and witnessing an Emirati woman getting on the podium for the first time.
Al Hammadi believes the bronze and silver medals won by Sara Al Senaani and Noura Al Ktebi in shot put, as well as the UAE squad’s collective achievements must be capitalised on.
“Sara’s bronze and Noura’s silver are a huge motivation for UAE women,” he says.
“In the next few years, there will be more medals from UAE women. I believe this is a good omen.
“People thought that our sport is easy, but it is not. Look at we have managed to achieve in Rio. We are all in different sports and disciplines, and we have worked so hard.
“It took me so long trying to beat one man. That’s how difficult our sport is. It’s challenging, it’s prestigious, and I hope people finally value what we are doing, and understand what we’ve accomplished and that they can finally support us. What we have achieved is unprecedented.
“Now it’s important to see how we can capitalise on what we’ve achieved, and take more steps forward.”
