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.