Qatar’s world record 3,000M steeplechaser Shaheen retires
Saif Saaeed Shaheen, Qatar’s two-time world 3,000M steeplechase champion and world record-holder, announced his retirement on Friday after failing to come back from a long-term achilles tendon injury.
The 33-year-old Kenyan-born athlete, who started competing for Qatar in 2003, said he could not risk running again.
“It’s time to call it a day. Running isn’t the only thing that can occupy one’s life. There’re other things to do,” he said.
Shaheen, who is currently in Kenya’s north-west town of Eldoret, has settled down to run a family business.
“I tried to start training again last week, after taking a full year to recuperate, but the leg started swelling. There’s no point in making a comeback,” he told AFP.
Shaheen, formerly known as Stephen Cherono, won several gold medals for Qatar including the 2003 and 2005 IAAF World championships.
Shaheen smashed the world record steeplechase record in September, 2004, clocking 7:53.63 in Brussels.
Injuries prevented Shaheen from making a comeback. Although he sought German treatment, the tendinitis in his patella worsened and the achilles tendon injury failed to completely get healed.
Man, why you retired, sorry you are no more Qatari.
Man, why you retired, sorry you are no more Qatari.
What's left is Formula 1. They don't dare to dope for the two hours of the race. It would definitely lead to a disaster if they were overestimating their abilities while being under drugs. Then physics would step in and show them their place.
Agree with WT. Money and professionalism have had a negative affect.
Olympics are no longer fun to watch
WT, All world belongs to us ............ ........... let there be no boundaries ....... .................
Yes WT. it has grown up the huge industry of Betting.
Better to get involved in local sports individually or in group.
I don't watch athletics anymore. The athletes are either bought or doped. It's a business nowadays and has nothing to do with sports anymore.
Shaheen moved from Kenya to Qatar in 2003, along with fellow Kenyan Ahmad Hassan Abdullah. Changing his name from Stephen Cherono to Saif Saaeed Shaheen, he was reported to have received up to US$1 million to become a Qatari citizen, although he denied this. Some reports stated that he had been given US$1,000 every month for the rest of his life for his change of nationality. After about 40 athletes had left the country, President Mwai Kibaki made a speech before the 2005 World Championships in which he said "Let us resist the temptation to change our citizenship for financial gains."
The president's plea obviously didn't work.
He is a Kenyan and they will probably take his Qatari passport now since he is of no use anymore.